In various parts of the world, there are islands that carry stories so dark that they have become symbols of fear and mystery. Places where time seems to have stopped, marked by tragic events, diseases or wars, and still wrapped in legends. One of these islands, known as the “Ghost Island”, is located in Europe, near one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations, and is known for his frightening reputation and for banning ordinary visitors.
Strategic and dreaded location
Not all Italian islands invite sunshine and leisure. Situated a few kilometers from Venice, Poveglia is considered one of the scariest in the world. Known as the “Phantom Island,” as Daily Mail calls him, his past is marked by stories of death, illness, and suffering that made her prohibited for tourists.
Poveglia is located in the Venetian Lagoon, between Venice and the Lido, and consists of three small islands. One was left to nature care, another served as a military base and the main hostel buildings today abandoned and wrapped in legends.
According to the same source, the island has a disabled psychiatric hospital, an old bell tower used as headlight and degraded military buildings that increase its dark environment. Visitors are prohibited from entering Poveglia, not only for the fear of the stories surrounding it, but especially for the danger of ruin of buildings, which are at risk of collapse.
First inhabitants and wars
The island has been inhabited since the fifth century, when people fled from barbaric invasions to seek safety on the islands of Lagoa de Venice. In the fourteenth century, Poveglia was the scene of military conflicts during the wars between Venice and Genoa, eventually abandoned after destruction.
For centuries, it remained deserted until in the eighteenth century it gained new use, but for unpleasant reasons for those who were taken there.
Deadly Quarantine Station
In the late eighteenth century, the authorities turned Poveglia into a quarantine post, known as “Lazareto.” According to the same source, anyone who had symptoms of black plague or other contagious diseases was taken there, often against their will, remaining isolated until recovering or dying. This reality gave birth to fear in Venice, for who was transported to Poveglia hardly returned.
Victims in scary numbers
Historical studies indicate that about 160,000 people died on the island during plague outbreaks. The bodies were burned or buried in ordinary ditches, creating a soil consisting of human ashes, according to historian Guido Vianello, expert in Venetian history.
Local inhabitants believe that half of Poveglia’s soil is made up of remains and ashes of those who lost their lives there.
Psychiatric asylum construction
In 1922, the island was chosen to host a psychiatric hospital, which operated until 1968. Historical records show that the asylum housed patients with serious mental disturbances, many of which without any kind of visit or family support.
As reported by Venice Insider, there are reports of cruel treatments applied to patients, such as lobotomies without anesthesia, common practice at that time, but which increased the dark aura of the place, also the source mentioned above.
Reports of paranormal phenomena
Venice residents say they hear shouts and bells at night, although Poveglia has been uninhabited for decades. Some fishermen refuse to approach the island, fearing the penalty souls that believe to wander through the empty corridors. This fear was reinforced by programs such as “Ghost Adventures” and documentaries about haunted places that recorded episodes in Poveglia.
Attempts to sell failed
In 2014, the Italian government tried to auction the island for tourist or cultural rehabilitation. A businessman won the concession, but the project was canceled due to the lack of funding, as reported by The Guardian, quoted by the same source. Currently, the “Ghost Island” is still under state management, with no concrete plans for opening to the public, maintaining the “forbidden island” status.
Despite the ban, there are those who try to visit the island illegally, attracted by the fascination of the forbidden and the horror stories. Agencies such as Getyourguide warn that visits without official authorization imply high fines and serious accident risks.
Cultural heritage ignored
Heritage experts, cited by, argue that Poveglia could be rehabilitated as a museum or historical memorial, valuing the tragic past rather than hidden it. However, the authorities fear the high costs and the structural complexity of the recovery works.
The “Phantom Island” served as inspiration for horror books and movies, as well as being often mentioned in paranormal tourism scripts. Its name is now associated with fear and death, but also mystery and historical curiosity. For now, Poveglia remains ending common tourist visits. Venice authorities confirm that, in addition to structural risks, they intend to respect the memory of the thousands who died there.
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