‘An enchanting oasis’: Venetian island with Napoleonic fort up for sale

Smaller than a football pitch, Crevan has a rich history – but how rich its buyer needs to be is strictly under wraps An island in the Venice lagoon boasting a Napoleonic fort and lush gardens is up for sale. Described as an “enchanting oasis of peace and beauty”, Crevan offers a “spectacular view” of Venice’s main island, but is far from its crowds. Located a few minutes by boat from the islands of Burano and Torcello and just slightly smaller than the size of a standard football pitch, Crevan was built in 1806 by the French military during the Napoleonic era as a strategic outpost to defend the northern Venetian lagoon from the Austrian empire. But in 1815 the island fell under Austrian rule before passing to the Italian state in 1866, after the annexation of Veneto to the Kingdom of Italy . Crevan continued to serve a military purpose until after the first world war.

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