The chronology of Lazzaretto Nuovo, like most other lagoon islands, is long. It has a walled vineyard, a quarantine station, a military installation and now a volunteer run museum. The museum on Lazzaretto Nuovo is well worth a visit.
Much of the history of the Lazzaretto Nuovo is intertwined with the events of the Black Plague in Venice (chronology), and the Lazzaretto Vecchio (chronology).
Under the Serenissima
- 1015
First known mention of the island in a document. The Vigna Muradlia, or walled vineyard, along with eight salt pads, belonged to the monks of San Giorgio Maggiore. - 1468
The island became the Lazzaretto Nuovo, a quarantine station to flank the Lazzaretto Vecchio, the plague hospital founded in 1423. - 1509
The painter Giorgione died of the plague, probably on the Lazzaretto Nuovo. - 1567-68
The construction of the Tezon Grando which served the disinfection of the goods on the ships arriving at the Lazzaretto Nuovo. - 1570s
The Magistracy of the Artillery built the two gun powder towers on the island. - 1575-77
During the plague epidemic the Lazzaretto Nuovo functions as a hospital, with many thousands sick people on the island. - Late 1500s / early 1600s
Most of the writings and drawings on the walls of the Tezon Grando date to this period (read about one specific from 1593). - 1630-31
The Lazzaretto Nuovo was again a hospital during the last great plague epidemic in Venice. - 1780s
The Serenissima drew up plans to demolish the Lazzaretto Nuovo.
After the Serenissima
- Early 1800s
The island became part of the fortifications the Austrian rulers of Venice built in the lagoon. They demolished most buildings, rebuilt the perimenter wall, but left the Tezon Grando and the two gun powder towers. - 1970 circa
The Italian military left the island. The state of abandonment became much worse, and the island became a target of looters. - 1975 circa
The EKOS Club received its first concession on the island, and the reclaiming, restoration and excavation of the island started.
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