New Fortress of Corfu: Under the gaze of the winged lion

The New Fortress was constructed by the Venetians in the 16th century, following a protest by the Corfiots to the Republic of Venice for the lack of fortifications outside the walls of the old Acropolis. The Venetians agreed to the demand, acknowledging that the Old Fortress was no longer sufficient for the town’s protection, and thus, work on the New Fortress began around 1576.

Tradition has it that over 10,000 workers worked in the projects on a daily basis, whereas the Venetian architect Ferrante Vitelli had to have some 2,000 houses and churches demolished, in order to acquire the necessary building materials. Although the project was not completed before 1645, the sacrifices were not in vain, as the New Fortress played an important role in the last Ottoman siege in 1716.

During the British Protection period (1814-1864), several interventions were carried out in the New Fortress. In the past, the two fortresses were connected by walls that completely enclosed the town, but in the mid-19th century, before the Ionian Islands were united with the rest of Greece in 1864, the British were forced to demolish large sections of the surrounding fortifications.

Nevertheless, the Venetian legacy remains very much alive in the fortress, with the eastern gate still decorated with the relief of Saint Mark’s winged lion, the emblem of Venice, dating from 1728. From the Bastion of the Seven Winds one can enjoy perhaps the best panoramic view of the city and the open sea.