Lazzaretto Vecchio

Lazzaretto Vecchio is a small island in the Venetian Lagoon historically used by the Republic of Venice as a quarantine station, or lazzaretto, to isolate ships and people during outbreaks of infectious disease. It is one of the lagoon’s notable historic public-health sites.

The island contains surviving buildings and ruins related to its use for quarantine and maritime health control, and it has been the subject of conservation and archaeological interest. The built remains reflect the island’s role in Venice’s control of disease and trade.

The lazzaretto functioned as part of Venice’s broader quarantine system from the late medieval and early modern periods and later saw other uses as public-health needs and military requirements changed. Its history is tied to Venice’s maritime commerce and epidemic responses.

Geographically it lies within the Venetian Lagoon northeast of the main historic centre of Venice and is one of several small islands that historically served specialised maritime and health-related functions.

• Quarantine island: Used historically as one of Venice's quarantine islands, it contains surviving lazzaretto buildings and archaeological remains tied to maritime public-health practice.