This Is Italy
If you ask different people to name one or more Italian islands, the same names often come up. Sardinia, Sicily, Elba, Capri… each and every one of them islands that, for whatever reason, have left a positive impression on us. How different it is with Poveglia, Italy's scariest island. And maybe of the world.
The island of Poveglia is known to almost few people. And that is not without reason. It is also called the largest ghost island in the world! Admittedly, it is something different than an island where it is especially good to relax in the sun. But visiting Poveglia is not for everyone.
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But first of all: where exactly is Poveglia?
Poveglia is located in Northern Italy. It is an abandoned and uninhabited piece of land that has been in the Venice Lagoon lies. Somewhere between the Italian city of Venice and the 11 kilometer long sandbank of Lido.
The famous St. Mark's Square is only a few minutes' boat ride away. When you're there, you can't imagine such an ominous piece of land just a little further away. A narrow channel divides the island of Poveglia into two parts. Whoever crossed the bridge to the second part of the island did not have long to live. Whoever came back was shot dead.
The history of Poveglia
In the year 421 Poveglia was first mentioned according to historical documents. The island was inhabited for a long time, until the inhabitants were asked to flee the island in 1379 during the war of Chioggia.
The inhabitants moved to Giudecca and the island became a battleground to stop the invasion. Several octagonal fortresses were built for defense, one of which has survived to this day.
The island was not used again until 1776, but it was given a completely different destination. On the island people were segregated who suffered from diseases such as the plague. A kind of quarantine island that ensured that sick and healthy people were kept separate from each other.
According to the stories, more than 160.000 people died on Poveglia. The bodies of the plague victims were burned, buried or dumped on the island. Some people even say that sick people were burned alive.
Until 1814, Poveglia was used as a quarantine station. A little later, the island (and in particular the buildings that stood there) served as a psychiatric hospital. Several buildings were restored and renovated to serve as asylums for the mentally ill. This continued until 1968. From that moment on, the island was completely deserted.
Medical experiments
From 1922 to 1968 there was a psychiatric hospital on Poveglia, which mainly housed the elderly. Here a cruel doctor conducted medical experiments. Among other things, he applied lobotomy in which some nerves in the patients' brains were severed. He also sometimes removed certain parts of the brain. All with the aim of making mental disorders disappear.
Ghosts and Ghosts
It is often said that whoever enters Poveglia will not leave the island alive. And that the ghosts of the people who died there always return to the island. Which, according to the stories, made it always haunted. The patients themselves said that they often saw ghosts on the island. And then there is also a tombstone in the middle of the island with the following text: 'Do not dig, here rest those who died of contamination.'
Recent developments
The buildings that still stand on the island of Poveglia include a hospital, an asylum, a boat shelter and several residential and work buildings intended for the staff. Obviously they are all in a non-functional state.
The most striking feature on the island is the clock tower, built in the 12e century as part of the church which was demolished in 1806. Tourists are not welcome on the ghost island of Poveglia. Very occasionally someone does come on the island or people sail very close to the coast.
Still, a few years ago, the Italian government was eager to find a new meaning for the island. Not least because the country itself has been heavily indebted since the start of the credit and banking crisis.
They therefore hoped that perhaps an investor would be interested in placing a luxury hotel there, for example. In 2014, the government therefore organized an auction in which any interested party could make a bid on the island of Poveglia. And that auction worked, because they managed to sell the island to a wealthy businessman.
Whose is Poveglia now?
A wealthy Italian businessman was therefore the 'lucky' buyer at the time. His name? Luigi Brugnaro. He won the auction with a bid of € 513.000. Not even a very high amount and certainly not enough to get out of debt as a country.
But what this businessman will do with the island now is still unknown. He started renovation work immediately after the purchase. But in doing so, some of the positions collapsed.
This resulted in 8 deaths and the temporary cancellation of the project. And since that time it has been scrupulously quiet on and around the island. Bridgenaro has also been the mayor of Venice since 2015.
Would you like to visit Poveglia yourself?
Would you like to visit the island of Poveglia yourself? In principle this is possible, but has become a bit more difficult these days. After the 8 fatalities at the time of the last renovation, the island was permanently closed off from the outside world. Access is therefore strictly prohibited.
But that doesn't stop everyone from going there. A number of adventurous travelers have already preceded you in recent years. For example, in 2018 there was a Fleming, mister c.who traveled to the island by boat.
The guys from StukTV also traveled to Poveglia not so long ago. In fact, they stayed there overnight.
There are no boats calling at the island. And on paper it is therefore forbidden to visit the island. But as with most things, for the right price (about $200) you can hire someone to take you there.
The Italians like to keep Poveglia at the bottom of their list of tourist attractions. But curious fear seekers have found their way. With varying results in terms of encounters with the undead. It seems that people are getting exactly what they are looking for.
Tip: walk around the buildings carefully. These are slowly falling apart, which may explain some of the inexplicable bangs you hear here.
Are you intrepid enough to visit the island yourself? Or would you rather let this pass you by? Let us know in a comment.
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