Manoel Island by sandysmith
Manoel Island is known in Maltese as II-Gzira, which gives the name to this area adjacent to Sliema, and means The Island. The Island, 0.5 sq. km, in area, lies in Marsamxett Bay between Sliema Creek on the Sliema side, and Lazzaretto Creek to the south.Manoel Island was used as a quarantine Island by the knights of St John - an isolation enclave against the plague and the infectious diseases that were rampant in those days. In 1643 the Knights built a quarantine hospital and a Lazzaretto on its southern flank, and the creek became the quarantine harbour. Galleys and ships arriving from plague-infected ports spent several days in those waters while their crew were housed at the Lazzaretto. In more recent years this hospital was used as a submarine base during WW2.
