Old Fortress, Corfu
| Old Fortress | |
|---|---|
Παλαιό Φρούριο | |
| Part of the defences of Corfu City | |
| Corfu, Greece | |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Greece |
| Controlled by | Republic of Venice (until 1797), France (1797–99, 1807–14), Septinsular Republic (1800–07), United Kingdom (1814–64), Greece (since 1864) |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 39°37′23″N 19°55′48″E / 39.623°N 19.930°E |
| Site history | |
| Built | Early 15th century, 1545–55, 1720s |
| Battles/wars | Siege of Corfu (1537), Siege of Corfu (1571), Siege of Corfu (1716), Siege of Corfu (1798–99), Corfu Incident |
The Old Fortress of Corfu (Greek: Παλαιό Φρούριο, Venetian: Fortezza Vecchia) is a Venetian fortress in the city of Corfu. The fortress covers the promontory which initially contained the old town of Corfu that had emerged during Byzantine times.
Before the Venetian era the promontory, which lies between the Gulf of Kerkyra to the north and Garitsa Bay to the south, was defended by Byzantine fortifications which the Venetians largely replaced with fortifications of their own design. As part of their defensive plans the Venetians separated the promontory from the rest of the city of Corfu by creating the Contrafossa, a moat which is a sea channel connecting the Gulf of Kerkyra to the North with the Bay of Garitsa to the South, converting the citadel into an artificial island. The fort successfully repulsed all three major Ottoman sieges: the great siege of 1537, the siege of 1571 and the second great siege of Corfu in 1716.
The town of Corfu got its Western name from the twin peaks of the fortress ("Coryphe" in Greek).