  Want to lease your own Italian island? You can soon bid on a 17-acre one, but there's a catch — it is said to be among the most haunted places in the world. Poveglia, which is located between Venice and Lido in the Venetian Lagoon, was once a quarantine station for people with infectious diseases and a mass burial ground for those with the plague.  The island's tale gets even more ghastly. A mental hospital opened there in the 1920s, and local legend says that a mad doctor conducted cruel experiments on patients, according to the Huffington Post. Some even say ghosts drove him to throw himself from the top of the asylum's bell tower. Today, curious paranormal investigators sometimes venture to the island, which is uninhabited and technically off limits to the public.  However, that may change. Cash-strapped Italy is putting Poveglia and four other pieces of prime real estate, including a 15th century castle and an old monastery, on the virtual auction block in May. The state will be auctioning off a 99-year lease for the use of the island. The minimum bid is 350,000 euros ($490,000). Some Venetians, including the city's mayor Giorgio Orsoni, are reportedly chipping in 99 euros ($137) each in the hopes of being the collective highest bidder May 7.  Orsoni suggested that the island be redeveloped as a youth or cultural center rather than a luxury hotel. Italy is also auctioning off a number of other state-owned properties this year, the Telegraph reported.  NY
|
Artikel Terpanas Minggu ini |
ADVERTISEMENT
64704
856
