Old Venetian Fortress

The old fortress is located in the old town of Corfu. It is built on a high rock, which made the fortress an impregnable bastion. The first fortress here was erected by the Byzantines in the sixth century. The fortress changed its appearance many times, but it underwent the most significant reconstruction during the time of the Despot of Ipirus in the XIII century and during the ownership of the island by the King of Sicily in the XIII - XIV centuries.

We see the Venetian Old Fortress today. The fortress walls were protected by cannons, the peninsula on which the fortress is located was separated from the rest of the land by a deep channel, on both sides of the fortress were built two powerful bastions. Also during this time the fortress received new towers - the Tower of the Sea and the Tower of the Dry Land.

The dwellings inside the fortress walls were demolished and the fortress became impregnable. The Old Fortress played a decisive role in defending Corfu during the Turkish war effort. All attempts by the Turks to capture the island were unsuccessful.

 In 1864 the island of Corfu became part of Greece, and at the same time the Old Fortress lost its armament. During the Second World War, the Old Fortress was strongly destroyed and only in the second half of the twentieth century the Old Fortress was completely restored. Now there is a museum. Concerts and public events are held in the fortress.