Does anyone live on Spinalonga now?
Spinalonga today Tourist boats depart from all three towns on a daily basis (every 30 minutes from Elounda). Since there is no accommodation on Spinalonga, the tours last only a few hours. Spinalonga is under consideration to become a World Heritage Site.
When did the last lepers leave Spinalonga?
1957
The island served as a leper colony through the 18th and 19th century, and even into the 20th century, the last leper leaving in 1957.
What happened to the lepers on Spinalonga?
When was Spinalonga abandoned? After many years of research, in 1948 the first drug to treat leprosy was discovered in America. Thus, the patients began to be treated and Spinalonga was gradually emptied of patients until 1957 when the last one left and the leprosarium was permanently closed.
Was there a leper colony in Crete?
In 1904, after the Cretans evicted the Turks from Spinalonga, the islet was transformed into a leper colony, where, by 1913, after Crete became part of Greece, anyone afflicted with the disease was sent. At its peak, the colony comprised nearly 400 inhabitants.
Is Spinalonga worth visiting?
Yes Spinalonga is definitely worth a visit, and so is the lovely village of Plaka too, which is only 5 mins drive from Elounda.
When did leper colonies close?
And yet ancient attitudes toward the disease have persisted. Leprosy colonies, places where those who contracted the disease were isolated, were widespread during the Middle Ages, but they continued to crop up long after that—including a facility near Baton Rouge that was closed in the late 1990s.
Are there toilets on Spinalonga?
At the end of the island tour is a simple snack bar. Here you can get water, cola, sweets etc., quite expensive. In front of the only toilet on the island Spinalonga there is often a long queue. Also on the small ferries of Elounda and Plaka there is no toilet.
How long does it take to visit Spinalonga?
From Elounda harbour, there is a boat to Spinalonga every 30 minutes throughout the summer. It takes about 20 minutes to reach the island, while the sea voyage sometimes includes a sail around the Kolokytha Peninsula. There are also boats from the little village of Plaka just north of Elounda.
How do you get to Spinalonga?
To get to Spinalonga you must take the boat from Agios Nikolaos, Elounda or Plaka. Boats depart from Agios Nikolaos in the morning. Apart from the trip to Spinalonga, they also offer lunch and the opportunity for a swim off the beaches behind the Kolokytha Peninsula, before returning to Agios Nikolaos in the afternoon.
Where are leper colonies today?
For more than 150 years, the island of Molokai in Hawaii was home to thousands of leprosy victims who gradually built up their own community and culture. As of 2015, six leprosy patients still live on the island, where they have elected to stay.
What is the history of the leper colony of Spinalonga?
The Free State of Crete, therefore, decided to build a leper colony on the island of Spinalonga in 1903. The formally unused fortress on this island then became a place for sickness, despair, and the desire for healing.
What happened to Spinalonga on Crete?
Off the island of Crete in Greece, the crumbling remains of Spinalonga hold the secrets of a castaway colony from long ago. Spinalonga was initially constructed as a fortress to protect the Port of Olous in the early 1700s.
What is the history of the leper colony in Crete?
More than 100 years ago there was no such possibility. The Free State of Crete, therefore, decided to build a leper colony on the island of Spinalonga in 1903. The formally unused fortress on this island then became a place for sickness, despair, and the desire for healing.
Why is Spinalonga famous in Greece?
Spinalonga is famous in Greece as being the last ever active leper colony, throughout the whole of Europe. The island was used as a leper colony from 1903 until 1957, with the final inhabitant, who was a priest, eventually leaving in 1962. The priest would have had to stay on the island to keep up the religious traditions…