You could own the world's most haunted island

If you've always wanted to own an island, have a ton of extra cash, and love ghosts, then today is your lucky day.

Reuters reports that Italy is putting several buildings and pieces of land up on an online auction to pay down its public debt and comply with European Union budget guidelines. One of those properties, Poveglia, is a 17-acre island off the coast of Venice. Despite its lovely location, Poveglia has a horrific past and is viewed by many as the "most haunted island" in the world.

Parade broke down the island's greatest hits of horror: In the 18th century, it was used to quarantine dying victims of the plague; In 1922, the island’s mental hospital was run by a doctor who performed lobotomies on patients with hand drills, chisels, and hammers. That doctor eventually threw himself from the top of the hospital's tower, blaming his madness on ghosts. Poveglia has been deserted since the hospital closed in 1968, and it looks very creepy today (check out the photos, below).

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The starting price for the island hasn't been shared, but an official from the agency managing the auction told The Independent that properties of a similar size have sold for more than $5 million. Ghosts, however, are probably extra. --Catherine Garcia