The uninhabited island was used as a dumping ground for plague victims during the 18th century, and in 1922, things didn’t get any better when a mental hospital was set up there, run by a cruel doctor who was a big fan of lobotomies.
He later jumped from one of the hospital’s towers after claiming that he had been driven mad by ghosts.
Poveglia, which has been described fondly as ‘hell’ and ‘the island of madness’, has been off-limits to the public for several years, and access has been very limited. That didn’t stop the cast and crew of Ghost Adventures from having a nose round in 2009, though.
However, it’s up for sale now as the government are trying to reduce the country’s debt. Any takers?
Image credit: YouTube/Elle Patille
