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All the United States Puerto Rico Toa Baja Ruins of Lazaretto de Isla de Cabras

Ruins of Lazaretto de Isla de Cabras

The crumbling remnants of this 19th-century quarantine hospital hint at the touristy island's darker past.

Toa Baja, Puerto Rico

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CDVV86
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The Ruins of Lazareto de Isla de Cabras (2015).   CDVV86 / Atlas Obscura User
The ruins have crumbled through the years (2015).   CDVV86 / Atlas Obscura User
View of El Morro and the San Juan Bay from the ruins.   CDVV86 / Atlas Obscura User
View to the sea (2019)   CDVV86 / Atlas Obscura User
Lazaretto   Respectful Restoration / Atlas Obscura User
One building has little left, the other is on its way out.   Respectful Restoration / Atlas Obscura User
Nice little beach to the side of the Lazaretto ruins.   Respectful Restoration / Atlas Obscura User
Lazaretto declining rapidly   Respectful Restoration / Atlas Obscura User
View of the coast from the ruins (2015).   CDVV86 / Atlas Obscura User
Part of the ceiling still remains (2015).   CDVV86 / Atlas Obscura User
This building still stands (2019)   CDVV86 / Atlas Obscura User
Not much is left of this building (2019)   CDVV86 / Atlas Obscura User
The ruins, what’s left.   Respectful Restoration / Atlas Obscura User
An opening on the floor (2019)   CDVV86 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Isla de Cabras (Goat’s Island), in the town of Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, is known today for its beaches, spectacular views of Old San Juan, and other recreational activities. But atop a hill overlooking the coast, visitors will notice some ruins that are seemingly out of place. Their past reveals that Isla de Cabras wasn’t always a recreational getaway.

The island served as an inspection port for ships coming from Europe during the early 19th century, when the threat of cholera was imminent. As a safety measure, every product and occupant on said ships, including African slaves, were placed under quarantine to prevent potential victims from spreading the disease to the mainland.

Toward the end of the century, a colony for the victims of infectious diseases was officially established on the island. In 1876, construction began on four buildings that would serve as a shelter and hospital for the diseased. The brick structures were finished by 1883 and were known as the Lazaretto de Isla de Cabras (Lazaretto of Goat’s Island). They housed the victims of yellow fever, cholera, and leprosy, among other diseases. Since said diseases lacked a cure, admittance was pretty much a death sentence.

The facility remained operational even after the United States seized control of Puerto Rico in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. However, it was forced to shut down by 1923 due to its inhumane conditions. The remaining occupants were eventually moved to a new and safer institution in the town of Trujillo Alto.

In the following decades, Isla de Cabras was used for various other purposes until it was transformed into the recreational getaway it’s known as today. The decaying ruins of the old hospital remain a curious oddity to most visitors, though for those aware of the area’s former use, they serve as a reminder of the island’s morbid past.

Related Tags

Abandoned Ruins Islands Leprosy Disease Hospitals Quarantine

Know Before You Go

The ruins can be explored at your own leisure. However, keep in mind that they are not being monitored or maintained, so use common sense and watch your footing since there are crumbling bricks all over the ground.

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Added By

CDVV86

Edited By

Respectful Restoration

  • Respectful Restoration

Published

June 20, 2019

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Sources
  • http://www.callejeandopr.com/callejea/leprocomio-en-isla-de-cabras-toa-baja
  • http://www.adendi.com/archivo.asp?num=22325&year=2006&month=6&keyword=
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isla_de_Cabras#Leper_Colony
  • https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.pr1526.sheet
Ruins of Lazaretto de Isla de Cabras
Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, 00949
United States
18.473562, -66.138087

Nearby Places

El Cañuelo

Toa Baja, Puerto Rico

miles away

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Old San Juan Cemetery

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miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Toa Baja

Toa Baja

Puerto Rico

Places 2

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El Cañuelo

Toa Baja, Puerto Rico

miles away

Casa Bacardí

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miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Toa Baja

Toa Baja

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