About The Old Fortress

Thought to be named after the two peaks of the peninsula it stood on, (koryphi in Greek), the capital of Corfu lay within the walls of the Old Fortress from the 6th – 13th Century after the original capital at Kanoni was destroyed by the Goths. The two peaks were castellated and a moat separated the island which enabled Corfu to repel three attempted invasions by the Ottomans in 1537, 1571 and 1731.
The Venetians built the main fortifications. The impressive bastions were a masterpiece of military architecture. The western, higher, peak was called Castel a Terra or Castel Nuovo and served as residential quarters for military personnel, politicians and the aristocracy. The eastern peak that overlooks the sea Castel a Mar or Castel Vecchio and was later used as a gun powder store. It was hit by lightening in 1718. After this catastrophe and the Corfiots destroying building prior to the unification in 1864 means none of these original buildings has survived. The ones you will see today were constructed during the British occupation.
The Church of St. George, built in 1840 in the Doric style, was used by the British garrison. It was converted for the Orthodox religion in 1864. It is the only Greek Orthodox Church in the style of an ancient temple. What once were the British Barracks now houses the Public Library of Corfu