The Plague Island of Venice

Poveglia Island in the Venetian Lagoon has been used as a plague quarantine station and a mental asylum. Over 100,000 plague victims are buried there. The island is considered one of the most haunted places in the world and is off-limits to visitors.

The Plague

During the bubonic plague outbreaks that devastated Venice, Poveglia was used to isolate the sick and dying. Bodies were burned in giant pyres. The dead were buried in mass graves. By some estimates, 160,000 people died on the island.

The Asylum

In 1922, a mental hospital was built on the island. Legend tells of a cruel doctor who performed horrible experiments on patients before throwing himself from the bell tower. The asylum closed in 1968.

The Hauntings

Fishermen avoid the island. Those who have visited report screaming, shadows, and overwhelming feelings of dread. The bell in the tower reportedly rings on its own, though it was removed decades ago.

The Soil

The island’s soil is reportedly 50% human ash. Bones wash up on the shore. The ground itself is composed of the dead. This concentration of death has created what many consider the most haunted place in Europe.

Modern Attempts

The Italian government has tried to sell the island, but attempts at development have failed. Workers report unbearable experiences. The dead of Poveglia seem to prefer their solitude.

Assessment

Poveglia Island represents the concentration of mass death in a confined space. The plague, the asylum, and the isolation have created conditions where the veil between worlds seems impossibly thin.