Corfu Architecture - A Harmonious Mixture of old and new Architectural Styles

Corfu is the northernmost island among the Ionian Islands, situated to the west of Greece. Its close proximity to Europe made Corfu an important mercantile centre and that is probably the reason why the island was raided and dominated by so many different cultures in the past. Each of these cultures brought with them their respective traditions and influenced the island a lot. This influence is mostly seen in the architecture of the island, which is the most evident element of its special culture.

A harmonious mixture of old and new architectural styles is evident in all villages of the island. Even when you check into your Corfu hotel, you will be impressed by the elegance it emits, whereas if you walk around Corfu town, the dominant style resembles of Italian renaissance villages.

Archaeological evidence has shown that ancient Corfu was a fortified city and had two ports. Its centre was located in Kanoni, the highest spot of Corfu town. There were temples and houses surrounding Agora, the main trading centre of this ancient town. When ancient Corfu was raided, the natives moved to the north and settled in the peninsular region, where today the city of Corfu stands proudly.

The Byzantines turned the city into a fortress and built many castles around it. The Angel Castle, the Gardiki Castle and the Angel Castle, all on high spots around the island to serve as watch out points, reflect the Byzantine architecture. Due to overpopulation, the city’s boundaries were stretched out to the surrounding hills. In the 14th century, the Byzantines were overthrown by the Venetians, who had the biggest influence in the architecture of Corfu.

As the Venetians had always feared a Turkish invasion, they fortified Corfu town with two Fortresses that survive till today: the fortress of Saint Mark, close to the old port, and the Old Fortress, close to Spianada square. Their architecture resembles a lot to the Italian renaissance. They also built the town with tall, narrow block of flats with no balconies, crossed by paved paths and having small squares in the middle. The Venetians also built impressive Neoclassical buildings, such as the Noble Theatre of San Giacomo, which now houses the town hall.

The architectural formation of Corfu town was continued by the British from the 18th to the 19th century, with buildings more austere in style. The British built Liston building, the Palace of Saint Michael and Saint Georges, the Ionian Academy and many other famous buildings. Although many of these buildings suffered serious damages by the Second World War bombardments, they were restored and reflect today all their old glory.