Later on, after about a century, the monastery was inhabited by the Cistercian nuns and it was enlarged in 1238.

The isle has a surface of 1 hectare and lies between the isles of Burano and Murano, on the Scomenzera canal. The isle has been used for a number of purposes: at first, in 1046, it provided a safe haven for the lagoon sailors who wanted to find shelter from bad weather.

In 1456, during the plague, the lepers were moved from the isle of San Lazzaro to San Giacomo, where they stayed until the epidemic was over. In the early 1900s, the isle became a military headquarter and three small barracks were erected. The army moved from the isle in 1964, leaving it at the mercy of high tides and bad weather.