Venice is one of the most visited Italian cities. But few tourists know that in Venice there are some places full of mysteries and legends.
So, if you’re planning to visit Venice this year, be sure not to miss these four mysterious places.
Casino degli spiriti
Casino degli Spiriti, literally House of souls – is a building that is part of palace Contardini del Zaffo.
This house is believed to be both cursed and haunted by many Venetians for at least two reasons.
The first one, is that, according to popular culture, in the past this house hosted people who tried to invoke spirits and demons. The result is that many restless souls now inhabit Casino degli Spiriti.
The second one, instead, is linked with a 16th century painter named Luzzo. The legend says that Luzzo used to meet in this house with his friends Giorgione, Tiziano and Sansovino.
One day, he fell in love for a women called Cecilia, one of Giorgione’s lovers. Since the girl didn’t return his love, Luzzo decided to kill himself. From that day one, his ghost wanders through Casino degli spiriti crying.
Nowadays the property houses two religious institutions: Piccola casa della Divina Provvidenza and Opera fides intrepid.
Palazzo Mastelli
If you visit Venice, palazzo Mastelli is another interesting place to see.
According to the legend, around 1100 AD, three very rich merchants named Rioba, Afani and Sandi travelled to Venice for some business. Once there, they were contacted by a young woman who searched some fine fabrics for a shop she had recently inherited.
The three brothers, believing that the woman had no experience at all with fabrics, tried to make some money selling her a poor quality fabric for a very high price.
Obviously, the woman sensed the fraud. She decided to pay the price they asked for the fabric but before doing it she cursed the money.
So, when the three brothers touched the money, they were transformed into stone statues. Nowadays, you can still admire them in the square behind the palace.
Cà Dario
According to popular culture, Cà Dario is one of the most famous cursed palaces in Italy.
Unfortunately, Cà Dario is a private property, so it cannot be visited. However, if you happen to visit Italy, yu can have a stroll to admire it.
According to the legend, Cà Dario is cursed and all its owners are destined wither to die a violent death or to lose all their fortune.
Cà Dario was built in in 1479 by Pietro Lombardo for Giovanni Dario, who wanted to make a gift to his daughter Marietta.
After some years, Marietta’s husband Vincenzo Barbaro, lost all his money and was stabbed to death. And Marietta decided to kill herself.
The house was inherited by their son Giacomo Barbaro, who died in an ambush in Crete some years later.
In XIX century Barbaro’s family decided to sell the palace to the Armenian merchant Arbit Abdoll, who went bankrupt after few years.
Since then, the palace was bought and sold several times making more victims. Some of the most famous are Kit Lambert, manager of The Who, Fabrizio Ferrari, Raul Gardini.
Actually not all the owners of Cà Dario died a violent death or had accidents. However, for Venetians the legend remains. You can believe it or not.
Poveglia Island
If you’re interested in haunted lands, and you’re planning to visit Venice, you should definitely visit Poveglia island.
The legend says that in 1793 to fight the Black Death, Poveglia island was transformed into a Lazzaretto, a confinement station for the ills.
In 1805, the only Curch on the island was destroyed and its bell tower was converted into a lighthouse.
The lazaretto was then closed in 1814. It’s said that over 160.000 people died of the Black Plague and that their souls are still wandering around.
In 1922 the building on Poveglia island was used as a psychiatric hospital.
The legend says that the doctor in chief used to torture their patients.
However, after some years he started to see some ghosts and he became insane. He then killed himself by jumping off the hospital’s tower.
What about you? Do you want to visit Venice? Have you already visited or seen one of these places?
Are you planning to visit Tuscany, instead? Here’s an article about some mysterious places to see in Tuscany.
Or are you interested in other mystetious places to see in Italy? Have a look at Three creepy places to visit in Italy.
Credits
Original image by Alois_Wonaschuetz
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