The Old Fortress, Corfu

The Old Fortress was originally built by the Byzantines in the 8th century and then it was expanded by the Venetians in the 16th century and the British in the 19th century.

The fortress assisted Corfu in its defense. Despite several sieges by the Ottoman Empire, it was the only island in the region not to be occupied by the Turks.  In 1716, the Turks attempted to conquer with a force of 30,000 soldiers and 46 canons, but 8,000 soldiers on the island held their ground.  A sea storm came through and damaged the Turkish fleet enough that they retreated.

While sieges from the Turks were held off, the island was under the control of many states during its history.  It was controlled by France, Russia, Great Britain, and was finally reunited with Greece in 1864.

Inside there is a combination of military, religious, and social structures within the walls of the fort.  Below, the thick cliffside walls of the fortress contain canons fir defense and surround the open space that was once the forum of the city with the church in the background.

At the end of the forum and overlooking the Ionian Sea, St. George's Church was added to the fort by the British in 1841.