Bits of History
During the Hellenistic period, the island was fortified from the inhabitants of the ancient city of Olous to protect the harbor. In the 17th century, Spinalonga fell under the occupation of the Venetians, who built a new powerful fortress over the ruins of the ancient one. In the 18th century, the island fell in the hands of the Ottoman Empire. By 1903, the Turks had abandoned the island while in the same year, the Cretan State decided to create a leper colony in Spinalonga. In 1957, the discovery of antibiotics cured the patients of leprosy (Hansen's disease) and the island was deserted.