Horror logo

Poveglia Island

The most haunted island in the world. The Italian government has made it law that no one is allowed anywhere remotely close to the island.

By Kaitlin KarawackiPublished 6 years ago 2 min read
1

Poveglia Island is a small island located between Venice and Lido in the Venetian Lagoon in Italy. It is located at 30126, Venice, Italy. This island has been used for many things but the most popular way it was used was for quarantining people who fell ill with the Black Plague. The surviving buildings of the island include a cavana, church, hospital, asylum, prison, bell tower, and housing and administrative buildings for staff that once worked there.

In the beginning, 1776 to be exact, the island came under the jurisdiction of the Magistrato alla Sanitá, otherwise known as the Public Health Office. During that time, it became a checkpoint for all goods and people coming to and going from Venice by ship. Then in 1793, there were several cases of the plague on two of the ships that would travel to and from Venice. Consequently, the island was transformed into a temporary confinement station for the ill (a lazzaretto). This role became permanent in 1805 under the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte. Bonaparte had the old church of San Vitale destroyed, then used the old bell tower as a lighthouse while it was under his rule. However, the lazzaretto was closed in 1814. Then in the 20th Century, the island was again used as a quarantine station.

The quarantine station was used for the people that fell ill of the Bubonic, or Black, Plague. During that time, people would travel by boat with a doctor to the island. The boat would have a fire burning in the middle and the doctor would have on a doctor’s mask. In that doctor’s mask, the beak of it would be stuffed with many different herbs to prevent the contaminated air and breath of the ill fallen person to get to the doctor. These “patients” would be dropped off at Poveglia and they would stay there until they died, either of the plague or of other causes. Then their bodies were burned in plague pits. Only the bones remain and you can still find plague pits around the island. And with that, there are estimates that 100,000 people died on the island.

In 1922, the existing buildings were converted into an asylum for the mentally ill and for long-term care. This went on until 1968 when the hospital was closed. Since then, Poveglia has remained closed to visitors in recent years with access restricted by the Italian Government.

There are supposedly many hauntings at Poveglia Island. However, you can’t find much evidence of this since there are many restrictions from going there. Some of the evidence that has been captured is from investigators Zak Bagans, Nick Groff, and Aaron Goodwin from the Travel Channel show Ghost Adventures. A big piece of evidence was when Zak felt as if he was possessed. During the time of this possession, there was an unfathomable rage coming from Zak and there was even a point during it where he broke a camera. They have also captured multiple EVPs (electronic voice phenomenons) and a black mist passing in front of the camera during their investigation.

Apart from the evidence from Ghost Adventures, there have been reports that the island has a heavy and evil energy, as well as people reporting that they’ve heard tortured moans and seeing specters.

1

About the Creator

Kaitlin Karawacki

Aspiring writer. Mostly of short stories but also writes about the supernatural.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.