When you glide across the Venetian lagoon, your eyes usually fall on familiar sights: the domes of San Marco, the curve of the Giudecca, or the green stretches of the Lido. But tucked quietly between Venice and the Lido lies one of the most extraordinary small islands in the world: San Lazzaro degli Armeni.
This tiny island—just a few hundred meters across—holds within its walls an astonishing wealth of Armenian history, manuscripts, art, and culture, safeguarded by the Mekhitarist Fathers since the early 18th century.
Visiting San Lazzaro feels like stepping into another world: part monastery, part museum, part library, and entirely unique. For many travelers, it becomes the most unforgettable experience of their time in Venice.
1. Where Is San Lazzaro degli Armeni?
San Lazzaro lies in the lagoon between San Marco and the Lido, not far from San Servolo. By vaporetto, it’s just 10–15 minutes from San Zaccaria (near St. Mark’s Square).
From a distance, you see a cluster of red-brick walls, a bell tower, and cypress trees rising from the water. Unlike Murano or Burano, San Lazzaro isn’t a town—it’s a self-contained monastic island, quiet and reserved.
2. The Origins: A Leper Colony
The island’s story begins in the Middle Ages. Dedicated to Saint Lazarus, patron saint of lepers, it served as a lazaretto—a leper hospital. This was common in Venice, which managed outbreaks of plague and leprosy by isolating the sick on islands.
For centuries, San Lazzaro was a place of suffering and exile. But in 1717, everything changed.
3. The Armenians Arrive
In 1717, Mekhitar of Sebaste, an Armenian monk fleeing persecution in the Ottoman Empire, arrived in Venice with his small band of followers. The Venetian Republic, known for its tolerance, granted them San Lazzaro.
The Carthusians and lepers were gone. The Armenians transformed the ruined island into a monastery, printing press, and cultural beacon.
Thus was born the Mekhitarist Congregation, which would become one of the most influential centers of Armenian culture worldwide.
4. The Monastery Complex
Walking into San Lazzaro today, you enter a serene monastic world:
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The Cloisters: elegant courtyards with arcades, flowers, and peace.
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The Church: rebuilt in the 18th century, richly decorated with Armenian and Venetian influences.
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Living Quarters: where monks still reside, following daily rhythms of prayer, study, and work.
The architecture reflects both Venetian baroque and Armenian tradition, a fusion that mirrors the community’s identity.
5. The Library: A World Treasure
Perhaps the island’s greatest treasure is its library.
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Over 200,000 volumes in multiple languages.
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Thousands of Armenian manuscripts, some illuminated, dating back to the Middle Ages.
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A printing press that was one of the first to produce books in Armenian (from 1789).
For Armenians worldwide, San Lazzaro became a guardian of language, literature, and memory. In times of diaspora and upheaval, this library kept culture alive.
6. The Museum & Curiosities
San Lazzaro also houses a fascinating museum, where guided visitors can see:
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Ancient manuscripts with gold-leaf illuminations.
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Armenian art and religious objects.
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A surprising Egyptian mummy, brought to the island in the 19th century and still preserved in its sarcophagus.
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Gifts from kings, popes, and intellectuals who admired the Mekhitarists.
Every corridor holds something unexpected—treasures gathered over centuries.
7. Lord Byron at San Lazzaro
One of the island’s most famous visitors was the English poet Lord Byron.
In 1816, Byron lived in Venice. He rowed across the lagoon to San Lazzaro, where he studied the Armenian language with the monks.
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Byron produced an English-Armenian grammar.
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He wrote of the island as a place of serenity and learning.
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The monks still preserve his desk and study room.
Byron’s presence linked San Lazzaro to the Romantic imagination of Europe.
8. The Role of the Mekhitarists
The Mekhitarist Fathers weren’t just monks—they were scholars, linguists, and cultural ambassadors.
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They standardized modern Armenian, ensuring the survival of the language.
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They produced dictionaries, grammars, and encyclopedias.
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They connected the Armenian diaspora with their homeland through letters, publications, and education.
San Lazzaro became a beacon for Armenians worldwide, symbolizing resilience, identity, and learning.
9. San Lazzaro in the Modern Era
Through the 19th and 20th centuries, San Lazzaro remained active:
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During the Armenian Genocide (1915–16), the Mekhitarists preserved records and became a spiritual refuge for survivors.
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In the 20th century, they expanded their publishing, creating bridges with Europe and the Americas.
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Today, the island continues its role, housing monks, scholars, and cultural treasures.
10. Life on the Island Today
San Lazzaro is still a living monastery. The monks:
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Maintain daily prayers.
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Care for the library and museum.
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Host visitors on guided tours.
Tours are usually led by a monk, blending scholarship with personal warmth. The experience feels intimate—like entering a family’s house, not a tourist site.
11. The Island & Biennale Connections
Occasionally, San Lazzaro participates in Venice Biennale exhibitions, highlighting Armenia’s artistic presence. Its serene setting provides a contrast to the busy Giardini.
12. How to Visit San Lazzaro degli Armeni
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Vaporetto: Line 20 from San Zaccaria stops at San Lazzaro (on the route to Lido).
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Guided Tours: Only by guided visit, usually once per day in the afternoon. Reservations recommended.
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Language: Tours often in English, Italian, or Armenian.
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Duration: About 1 hour.
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What to Expect: Library, museum, church, cloisters, Byron’s room.
Unlike Murano or Burano, San Lazzaro isn’t a wandering island—it’s a structured visit, but deeply rewarding.
13. Why You Should Visit
San Lazzaro offers:
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A unique cultural experience—Armenian heritage in the heart of Venice.
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A peaceful escape from crowded streets.
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A chance to see treasures rarely shown elsewhere.
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A living monastery, not just a museum.
For those interested in history, literature, or simply authentic encounters, San Lazzaro is a must.
14. Conclusion: An Island of Memory and Light
San Lazzaro degli Armeni is unlike any other island in Venice. It is a bridge between East and West, between faith and scholarship, between the silence of monks and the words of poets.
Here, you don’t just visit a place—you enter a tradition of resilience, knowledge, and cultural preservation that has lasted three centuries.
👉 With Tour Leader Venice, you can combine San Lazzaro with nearby San Servolo, Lido, or Murano, creating a private lagoon tour that shows you Venice’s hidden intellectual and spiritual side.
Because the true magic of Venice isn’t only in its canals—it’s in islands like San Lazzaro, where the past is still alive.
