Old Fortress of Corfu #1307

Description

In the past, these two fortresses were connected by extensive walls.

The Old Fortress is the older of the two, built on a rocky peninsula with two distinctive hills, located on the eastern side of the city.

History
In the 6th century, the original town of Corfu, situated on the Kanoni peninsula (Paleopoli), was destroyed by invaders. The survivors chose to rebuild the town in a safer area, eventually surrounding it with a fortress for added protection. This became the Old Fortress, which occupies the entire small peninsula at the eastern end of Corfu town.

The fortifications of the Old Fortress were constructed and modified over several centuries. The Byzantines undertook the first major construction work. During the first Venetian period, the peninsula was transformed into an island, enhancing the fortress's defenses, and in the second Venetian period, the fortress took its final form, around the 16th century.