The islet of Lazaretta is located opposite Nea Chora and in the 17th century it was used by the Venetians as the leprosarium of Chania, as were the most islets of the cities of Crete. It is named after Lazarus, the patron saint of lepers from the Roman Catholic Church. They have identified graves, apparently of patients, while we can still distinguish the foundations of buildings demolished by the Turks in 1645 to place a large cannon to help attack the fort of Chania at the mouth of the port. In some places you will see metal fragments from bombs dropped during German military exercises during World War II. The island hosts a sanctuary of its own Agios Nikolaos which was built by a local in 1954.
The islet of Lazaretta is located opposite Nea Chora and in the 17th century it was used by the Venetians as the leprosarium of Chania, as were the most islets of the cities of Crete. It is named after Lazarus, the patron saint of lepers from the Roman Catholic Church. They have identified graves, apparently of patients, while we can still distinguish the foundations of buildings demolished by the Turks in 1645 to place a large cannon to help attack the fort of Chania at the mouth of the port. In some places you will see metal fragments from bombs dropped during German military exercises during World War II. The island hosts a sanctuary of its own Agios Nikolaos which was built by a local in 1954.