Ep. 91: History of Spinalonga Leper Colony

Ep. 91: History of Spinalonga Leper Colony

From Behind the Walls of the World’s Psychiatric Hospitals by Dr. Sarah Gallup

June 30, 2025 · 27 min · Episode 91

About this episode

This episode discusses the history of the Spinalonga Leper Colony in Crete, including its different eras and the stigma of leprosy.

Send a text This week we reminisce about Sarah's recent trip to Crete and her visit to the Spinalonga Leper Colony. Learn about the three different "eras" the island experienced as a Venetian stronghold, Ottoman outpost, and leper colony. Discover more about leprosy, also known as Hansen's Disease, and the stigma surrounding it that persisted for centuries. Sources used in this episode include the Spinalonga website and Wikipedia articles on Spinalonga and leprosy. Follow the show on Instagra...

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Sarah Gallup

Topics covered

  • history
  • leprosy
  • mental health
  • stigma
  • Crete
  • Spinalonga

Keywords

  • Spinalonga
  • leprosy
  • Hansen's Disease
  • Crete
  • history
  • stigma
  • mental health

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Spinalonga website, Wikipedia

Books & works: Hansen's Disease

Places: Crete, Spinalonga

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