Spinalonga Island

Spinalonga Island is an arid and barren rocky islet with an area of 8.5 hectares lying at the mouth of the natutural port of Elound, duo to its statigic location it was fortified and served a varity of roles over the centuries.

Spinalonga Island is an ancient fortress first built to protect ancient Olous, once one of the most important towns on Crete, especially between 3000-900 BC.

In 1030 Spinalonga was one of the most powerful, least penetrable fortresses on Crete. In 1574, a new fortress was constructed, the original wooden model can be found in the Venetian museum.

The island was a refuge to Christians under threat from Saracens.
During the latter days of Turkish domination, it also became a secure place for Turks in fear of reprisals from Christians.

The Turks tried to attack the Greek rebels (unsuccessfully) on the 'mainland.' Turks from Mirabello, Sitia and Iearapetra went to the island.

In 1579, the Venetians built a fortress on Spinalonga over the ruins of an acropolis. They kept control of the island until the Ottoman Empire took possession of it in 1715.

The island is notable for being one of the last active leper colonies in Europe, being used in this manner from 1903 until 1957. The last inhabitant, a priest, left in 1962. This was to maintain the religious tradition of the Greek Orthodox Church, in which a buried person has to be commemorated 40 days, 6 months, 1, 3 and 5 years after their death.

There are two entrances to Spinalonga, one being the lepers' entrance, a tunnel known as Dante's Gate. This was so named because the patients did not know what was going to happen to them once they arrived. However, once on the island they received food, water, medical attention and social security payments.
Previously, such amenities had been unavailable to Crete's leprosy patients, as they mostly lived in the caves, away from civilization, eating scraps left over by the wolves who shared their caves.