Poveglia Island

Poveglia is a small and beautiful island in the Venetian Lagoon, Italy. There is small canal running through it which divides the island into two parts. The island is located between the Venice and Lido. Though, the island is very beautiful but it contains a clumsy history as it has been used as plague-pit in Roman Times. The place was considered as best to isolate thousands of plague victims. It is also reported that the island was effectively used as a lazaretto and plague-pit during the three occasions when Black Death spread through Europe. Over 160,000 people died on the island as it was considered as a best way of keeping those infected people separated from the healthy.
In 1922, a mental hospital built on the island. According to Local Lore statement, a mental health doctor killed many of his patients and after that killed himself too jumping from the tower bell.
Today, the island is not opened to tourists and is used for farming. The TV show Scariest Places on Earth, has made an episode on the island history and also the Ghost Adventurers has also filmed an episode here aired on November 13, 2009.
During the war of Chioggia between Venice and Genoa, the island was used by a small community until it was abandoned around 1380.