On your left, you can see the island of Poveglia, with the octagon in front. Originally it was a thriving center, both economically and demographically. The local families were masters in fishing and salination, having businesses also in Chioggia and Pellestrina.
The decline of Poveglia began with the War of Chioggia when it was decided to evacuate families from the island to Venice. Despite the presence of the octagon, the island was occupied by the Genoese who were able to bomb the monastery of Santo Spirito. At the end of the conflict, Poveglia was completely destroyed and the poor people preferred to continue their life in Venice.
In the following centuries, the island has been used first as a station for storing boats and then for medical purposes. After a few more attempts at recovery, the island was abandoned.
