Poveglia, known by many as “The Island of Ghosts”, is actually a complex of three islets that forms a trapezoidal structure in the Venetian lagoon, with a total area of about 72,500 square meters. The central island houses the remains of some hospital pavilions dating back to the first half of the twentieth century, while the second island, connected to the main via a bridge, is completely uninhabited. The third, called “octagon” for its characteristic form, is an artificial islet built at the end of the fourteenth century with defensive purposes.
A rich and multifaceted past
In the Middle Ages Poveglia enjoyed considerable economic prosperity, largely thanks to its strategic position in the Venetian lagoon. Its history is dotted with several uses: from the end of the eighteenth century it served as a remittance for boats, control point for goods and people and, in some periods, also as a quarantine structure. On the island they arose a hospitalization for the elderly, operational until the end of the 1960s, and some sections of the hospital by the sea of the Lido, which ceased to work in 1972.
The current state and the uncertain future
Today Poveglia is completely uninhabited and accessible only through private boats. As indicated by the state property, its general conditions are “precarious”: essential supplies such as drinking water and gas are missing, and the buildings are unusable also due to the numerous vandal acts suffered over the years. Despite various redevelopment attempts over the years, including a project to carry out a youth hostel in the late 90s, the island continues to remain in a state of abandonment.
Legends and ghosts: separating the myth from reality
Despite his state of degradation, Poveglia periodically attracts visitors fascinated by the numerous legends that surround it. It is said that during the black plague thousands of people were burned on the island to prevent the spread of contagion, and that hospitalization for the elderly was actually used as an asylum. Another story tells of a hospital officer who would have committed suicide by throwing himself from the bell tower, driven by alleged spirits, while other legends speak of medical experiments on patients.
However, the Italian Committee for the control of statements on pseudosciences (Cicap) found that in the Venetian popular traditions and in local literature there are no references to spectral presences on the island. The historian Alberto Toso Fei clarified that only two ships with plagues were quarantined in Poveglia at the end of the 18th century, with a total of twenty victims, of which there are documents with names and surnames. Cicap suggests that legends on the island may have been amplified by American television programs such as “Ghost Adventures” and “Scariest Places on Earth”.
In July 2016, five young Americans were rescued by the firefighters after a night on the island, terrified by alleged ghosts. This event brought to the Venetians themselves that their island, traditionally considered a quiet place for trips and grilled, had become famous for alleged paranormal activities.
An island suspended over time
Whether or not we believe in ghost stories, Poveglia remains a unique place of its kind, a silent witness of Venetian history. Currently it cannot be reached by public transport, but it is possible to admire it from afar by browsing its vicinity. His future remains uncertain, pending redevelopment projects that can return a role in the life of the Venetian lagoon.
