Attila's Throne (Torcello)

Venice · Italy · Stone formation

The Hun king's stone seat stands empty before the basilica. A woman who sits in it is said to bear a child — or to return to the lagoon.

In front of the basilica of Santa Maria Assunta on Torcello stands a rough stone seat the island calls Attila's Throne. The chair dates to the fifth century, the same age as the Hun invasions, which is where the name comes from — but Attila never reached the lagoon, he stopped at Aquileia. In reality the island's tribunes and officials sat here when justice was done. The legend stuck to the Hun king all the same, and another belief grew around the chair: a woman who sits in it and wishes for a child will have her wish granted. A more common version says that whoever sits down there will always return to the lagoon. Torcello was once a town of tens of thousands; today a handful of people live on around the stone seat.

FAQ

Where is Attila's Throne (Torcello) located?

Attila's Throne (Torcello) is in Venedig, Italy.

More haunted places in Venedig

Accounts are drawn from local folklore and visitor reports.