The old Fortress

The Old Fortress stands over the Esplanade or Spianada Square and is linked to the town by a fixed iron bridge 60 meters in length. This bridge used to be wooden and was drawn up to isolate the fortress for greater safety.

The first fortifications of the Old Fortress started about the 6th century AD after the destruction of the ancient city of Corcyra by the Goths. They forced the population to abandon the ancient city and to settle on the rocky promontory with the two peaks. The Byzantines fortified one of the two peaks – the Old Fortress as it is called - , and later the Venetians fortified the other peak – The New Fortress. In the 15th century the Venetians replaced the old fortifications. They built bastions, winding galleries and tunnels. They also erected buildings to house the military and political authorities. These bastions are considered masterpieces of military engineering. The large Esplanade in front of the Old Fortress was planned by the Venetians as an open space between the Fortress and the proper town. This space is approximately the firing range of a gun of the period.

The most significant monuments in the fortress premises are: the central gate, two impressive ramparts/bastions which bear the names of the Italian engineers Martinengo and Savorgnan, St. George's Church built by the British on 1840, the Roman Temple, the prison, the abandoned British hospital and the British barracks. The fortress is also home to several public offices such as the Municipal Library, the Archives, the Byzantine collection, the Conference Centre, as well as the clock tower and the lighthouse. We suggest you to climb to the top of the fortress; as from there you will enjoy a marvellous panoramic view over Corfu Town.

  Just outside the Old Fortress stands the marble statue of the German Field Marshall Von Schulenburg. It was erected by the Venetian Senate during his lifetime in recognition of his gallant defence of the city during the last great siege by the Turks in 1716.

 The New Fortress

The New Fortress is found on the hill of Agios Markos and it protected the city from the west side. It has a wonderful view to the old port. The New Fortress was built between 1570 and 1580 by the Italian architect Fransisco Vitelli, on the hill of St. Mark. The inner buildings of the fortress were constructed by the British.

It should also be visited for the magnificent view of the town and sea that it has, preferably in the late afternoon when the heat is less intense.

The stairs you ascend in order to penetrate into the Fortress lead to one of the tunnels, which in turn leads to the centre of the town by way of the local market-place. The area in which the market is located was a 'dry moat' overlooked by ramparts and connected with the Fortress as part of its fortifications. Once found; here buy some fresh fruit from the market, some juicy cherries or peaches or even an aromatic melon to enjoy later at the hotel… Give yourself a nice portion of vitamins before you continue your day exploring Corfu and mingle with the locals at the noisy market!

This dry moat which runs along the western side of the fortress is an interesting example of the 17th century architecture. It starts from the wider area of the vegetable market and runs along the western bastions to the New Harbour. On the bastion walls are two winged lions of St. Mark, the emblem of Venice with two Venetian inscriptions. There are two gates in the fortress which have both survived almost untouched. The first is facing the Old Harbor's square and the other is on the square to the south. They both bear the emblem of Venice - the winged lion of St. Mark. The Venetian winged lion can be seen at regular intervals adorning the fortifications. It is worth noting that at the feet of the lion lay on an open book. The open book symbolizes that the Venetians came to Corfu not to conquer but to defend.