Poveglia, a Venetian island described as the ‘world’s most haunted island,’ is up for sale by the Italian state, which is trying to raise revenue. Stories about its mysteries date back to the 18th century and it was even featured in Ghost Adventures.
The island is currently uninhabited and is just minutes from St. Mark’s Square. It is among five major properties Italy is selling off to cut the country’s debt, notes The Telegraph.
Poveglia was once the cause of battles between Venetians and the Genoese in the 14th century, but it was turned into a quarantine station in the 18th century, forever changing the perception of the island. Legend has it that the sick would wait to die on the island and their ghosts would come back to haunt it.
Then, in 1922, a hospital opened, allegedly hosting experiments on the mentally ill. It remained open until 1968 and one legend says ghosts drove a doctor mad before he jumped off a tower.
Although visitors can’t go to the island, AOL notes that a 2012 episode of Ghost Adventures featured a look at the island. One of the hosts claimed they became possessed on the island.
The government says that the island has been poorly maintained, but officials said they would streamline the permit process to allow renovations. The auction begins on May 7. While the government didn’t say how much they expect the property to go for, they are hoping that a total of 148 property auctions will raise €500 million.