Post by Graveyardbride on May 14, 2015 12:53:49 GMT -5
Haunts of Venice
There’s only one curse on Venice that matters and that’s its beauty surely? The water and canals that make the city so special have also plagued it with flooding, erosion and humidity. Fortunately this is very unlikely to ruin your short break in Venice, but the city’s darker side might leave you feeling a bit shaken. Here are five locations that should be on any Venice horror hit list:
Palazzo Dario. Perhaps the most famous haunted house in the world, the Dario Palace (above right) has been dubbed “the house that kills,” because almost all those who have owned, lived in, or been associated with, the building have come to sticky ends, be it through murder, suicide, accidents or bankruptcy. It all started with the daughter of Giovanni Dario, the local official who built the palace on the Grand Canal in the 15th Century. She committed suicide and since then, there have been more than 10 dramatic deaths associated with the palace, most recently in 2002 when famed bass guitarist John Entwistle of The Who, who was leasing the palazzo, died of a cocaine-induced heart attack. The curse even deterred Woody Allen’s plans to purchase the place.
Poveglia Island. The small island of Poveglia in the Venetian lagoon has faced the brunt of local evils. Originally used as a port in the centuries after the Roman Empire, it became the dumping ground for Venetians riddled with plague, both dead or alive. In 1922, it was turned into an asylum to house the mentally ill away from the city. It is alleged that one of the asylum’s doctors would torture and experiment on victims and met his death when he fell from the bell tower. Some say he was pushed by the spirits of his victims. It is said more than 160,000 deaths occurred on “the island of no return.”
Casino Degli Spiriti. Another grand palace that has fallen prey to local legends in the Casino Degli Spririti (above) or “House of Souls.” The elegant building looks very much alone and locals have different stories to explain why the edifice is cursed. The most infamous ghost is Luzzo, a painter who killed himself over his love for Cecilia, Giorgione’s lover. More recently in the 1950s, a young woman was murdered in the house, then dismembered and thrown into the lagoon. But it is still the perfect spot for fishing because Venetian fisherman avoid the lagoon.
Palazzo Mastelli. Watch out for those elderly Venetian ladies during your trip; they might just put a curse on you if you anger them! That’s what happened around 1100 AD, when Rioba, Afani and Sandi, three rich merchants, attempted to flog poor quality fabric to an old woman. Once she discovered their trick, she cursed the money she handed them and the three turned to stone and they’re still standing there today.
The San Marco and San Todaro Columns. They may well be symbols of Venice, standing as they do at the entrance of San Marco Square, but the two columns (above) do not have a pleasant past. When they were being transported to Venice from Constantinople, the ship carrying them tipped over and a third column sank into the sea, where it remains to this day. The space between the two remaining columns, was used as a site of execution and hundreds of thieves, murderers and enemies of the Republic were put to death on this spot. Remember this when you’re posting for your photo between the columns.
Source: Donna Welsh, Venere Travel, May 13, 2015.