San Lazzaro degli Armeni
Aerial view of the island in 2013
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| Geography | |
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| Coordinates | 45°24′43″N 12°21′41″E / 45.411979°N 12.361422°ECoordinates: 45°24′43″N 12°21′41″E / 45.411979°N 12.361422°E |
| Adjacent bodies of water | Venetian Lagoon, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean Sea |
| Area | 3 ha (7.4 acres) |
| Administration | |
| Region | Veneto |
| Province | Province of Venice |
| Commune | Venice |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 17~35 |
| Ethnic groups | Armenians |
San Lazzaro degli Armeni (Italian pronunciation: [ˈsan ˈladdzaro ˈdeʎʎ arˈmeːni]; anglicized: Saint Lazarus of the Armenians, Armenian: Սուրբ Ղազար, Surb Ghazar) is a small island in the Venetian Lagoon. It lies 2 km (1.2 mi) to the southeast of Venice proper and west of the Lido. The islet covers an area of 3 hectares (7.4 acres).
It was a leper colony during most of the Middle Ages. It was later abandoned. In 1717 San Lazzaro was ceded by the Republic of Venice to Mkhitar Sebastatsi (Mechitar) and his followers who established an Armenian Catholic monastery. It has since been the headquarters of the Mekhitarists and, as such, one of the world's prominent centers of Armenian culture and Armenian studies, especially during the 18th and 19th centuries. Numerous important publications were made in the island by the monks which made it an early major center of Armenian printing.
San Lazzaro has been enlarged nearly four times times from its original size through land reclamation. It was recognized as an academy by Napoleon in 1810 when nearly all monasteries of Venice were abolished. A significant episode in its history is Lord Byron's visit in 1816–17. The island is one of the best known historic sites of the Armenian diaspora. The monastery has a large collection of books, journals, artifacts, and the third largest collection of Armenian manuscripts. Over the centuries, dozens of artists, writers, political and religious leaders have visited the island. Nowadays, it attracts tens of thousands of tourists annually.
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