Lazareto Island – Menorca’s Ellis Island

Every major international port has a quarantine station where people suspected of carrying an infectious disease can be quarantined until their status is verified. This is nothing new and, in the past, such facilities were vital to maintaining the health of populations across the globe. Perhaps the most famous is Ellis Island in New York, where new immigrants were vetted before being allowed to set foot on the mainland.

But did you know that Menorca also had its own quarantine station – Lazaretto Island, in the port city of Mahon?

Fear of Plague

Illa del Llatzeret (Lazareto island) operated as Menorca’s quarantine station from 1817 and through to 1917. It was first established by the British who feared the spread of highly infectious diseases such as smallpox, leprosy and bubonic plague – this in an age when medicinal science was still in its infancy and diseases spread like wildfire, killing tens of thousands.

During that period, Mahon was a major, deep sea port serving the western Mediterranean and Spain. It was a vital strategic link, both in terms of military control of ocean trade routes and for international commerce. As an island in the port area, Lazareto Islandwas ideally placed to act as an almost escape-free quarantine station for people, livestock and goods destined not only for Menorca, but also other countries in the area.

Visit this Commercial and Medical Landmark

Since 2013, the island has been open to the general public during the summer. Take a short boat trip to get to the island and begin to delve into the commercial and medical history of the island and its chequered history.

The original complex was surrounded by double stone walls varying from 18 to 24 meters high. This was to prevent items being thrown out or into the complex. Additionally, the space between the two walls helped move inmates from area to area without too much interaction with other people.

The island was separated into a number of distinct areas:

·         Crew and passengers suspected of being infected

·         Crew and passengers confirmed as being infected

·         Warehouses for goods

·         Animal pens

·         Living areas for medical and administrative staff

·         Agricultural plots for growing produce.

The infected (or those suspected of being infected) were housed in stone cells.

Don’t miss out on the tiny chapel. Set on a raised plinth, it is surrounded by inmates’ cells, placed so that they could see and hear the priests taking mass. The Holy wine and bread, rather than being administered by the priest, were passed from cell to cell by long handled shovels.

Refurbished Warehouses

Lazareto Island’s warehouses, which used to store quarantined goods, have been transformed. One such building is used as a lecture hall and also houses a small museum dedicated to displaying the medical instruments and artefacts of that period. Another houses the original Royal Barge used by Queen Isabella II of Spain on her visits to the Island.

There is much more to see on Lazareto island: the cemetery where many of the inmates who died are buried; the magnificent entry gates; and a statue, just outside of the main gate, which is of special significance considering the island’s previous use. It is a statue of a man, breaking free from chains that have held him captive for millennia. On the plinth are the names of four prominent doctors and scientists who paved the way for modern medicine - Louis Pasteur, Juan Carlos Finlay, Sir Alexander Fleming and Edward Jenner.

Author Plate

Brenda Jaaback, Managing Director of Bartle Holidays, is a renowned Menorca expert who personally selects the finest properties for her clients. From its history to its people and from its wildlife to its cuisine, no secret of the island remains hidden to her. For anyone looking for information on attractions like Lazareto Island, Brenda is the go-to person. Bartle Holidays makes no warranty as to the accuracy of information contained in this article and excludes any liability of any kind for the information.