PALACE OF ST MICHAEL & ST GEORGE
St. Michael and St. George is a palace in Corfu City on the island of Corfu, Greece. The Greek name is “Palaia Anaktora”. The palace was built by Sir Frederick Adam, the British Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands.
Originally the residence of a succession of British high commissioners, this palace now houses the world-class Museum of Asian Art, founded in 1929. Expertly curated with extensive, informative English-language placards, the collection’s approximately 10,000 artifacts, collected from all over Asia, include priceless prehistoric bronzes, ceramics, jade figurines, coins and works of art in onyx, ivory and enamel. Additionally, the palace’s throne room and rotunda are impressively adorned in period furnishings and art.
It served as the High Commissioner’s residence, but was also the home of the Ionian Senate and the Order of St Michael and St George. The foundation stone was laid on St. George’s day in 1819. The location is between the old town of Corfu and the Venetian citadel.
Corfu Achillion Palace
The beautiful Achilleion(Achillion) Palace sits 10 km south of the city of Corfu. It was built in 1890 as a summer palace for the Empress Elisabeth of Austria, a tragic figure who was plagued by misfortune (her husband was unfaithful, and her son committed suicide) and was eventually assassinated in 1898. Often referred to by her nickname, Sisi, the empress had the villa decorated in pseudo-classical style, complete with grand sweeping staircases and frescoes.
In the gardens of the palace are found the famous statues of the dying Achilles, Dionysus with Satyros on his shoulders, an impressive statue of Achilles 11.5 meters high, and a statue of Lord Byron. After the murder of Elizabeth, the palace was bought by the Kaiser of Germany William II.
A state property since 1928, it is open to the public. Inside, you can see period furniture, paintings, and even some of Sisi’s clothes, but for many people, the highlight is the garden, with 19th-century statues and lovely views towards the sea. You can pick up an audio guide (in various languages) at the entrance.
PALACE OF ST MICHAEL & ST GEORGE
St. Michael and St. George is a palace in Corfu City on the island of Corfu, Greece. The Greek name is “Palaia Anaktora”. The palace was built by Sir Frederick Adam, the British Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands.
Originally the residence of a succession of British high commissioners, this palace now houses the world-class Museum of Asian Art, founded in 1929. Expertly curated with extensive, informative English-language placards, the collection’s approximately 10,000 artifacts, collected from all over Asia, include priceless prehistoric bronzes, ceramics, jade figurines, coins and works of art in onyx, ivory and enamel.
Additionally, the palace’s throne room and rotunda are impressively adorned in period furnishings and art. It served as the High Commissioner’s residence, but was also the home of the Ionian Senate and the Order of St Michael and St George. The foundation stone was laid on St. George’s day in 1819. The location is between the old town of Corfu and the Venetian citadel.
Corfu Temple of Artemis
The Temple of Artemis is a doric temple found at Corfu, an island of the cost of Greece (present day Kerkyra). The framework of this building was the first of its kind.
Features such as the pediment (triangular portion on the top of the temple) became stock charecteristics of Greek Architecture during later years. The largest part of the temple is ruined today and many parts have been moved to the Archaeological Museum of Corfu.
The museum showcases the pediment of the Artemis temple which is impeccably preserved. A characteristic feature of the temple pediment is the Medusa and many scholars regard this as the finest specimen of prehistoric sculpture
Corfu Mon Repos Palace
The villa was built as a summer residence for the British Lord High Commissioner of the United States of the Ionian Islands, Frederick Adam, and his second wife (a Corfiot), Diamantina ‘Nina’ Palatino, in 1828–1831, although they had to vacate the villa soon afterwards in 1832 when Adam was sent to serve in India.
Mon Repos Palace is situated on top of Analipsis hill, near Kanoni area, in the middle of a beautiful setting full of greenery.
Later on, the palace became the summer residence of all British governors of Corfu and when the Ionian Islands were united to Greece, in 1864, it was given as a gift to King George I of Greece.
Finally, in 2002, the European Court of Human Rights at Strasburg awarded to the former king compensation of 7 million for the three properties he lost when the monarchy was abolished in Greece, in 1975. Nowadays this house is used by the Municipality of Corfu as a tourist attraction and is visited by hundreds of tourists every year. The palace has today been restored and reflects its original and classical imposing features.
Corfu Ionian Academy
The Ionian Academy happens to be the first Greek University in recent times that was in existence on the island of Corfu Greece from 1824 to 1864. The island of Corfu was then under Venetian rule. With the passage of time, the Ionian group of Islands came under British rule.
In spite of the problems it had to face, the Ionian Academy produced a large number of graduates and many important intellectual figures. It was a University formed with very high aspirations and goals at an extremely difficult time.
Corfu Angelokastro Castle
It is located on the island of Corfu at the top of the highest peak of the island’s shoreline in the north coast near Palaiokastritsa and built on particularly precipitous and rocky terrain.
It stands 305m on a steep cliff above the sea and surveys the City of Corfu and the mountains of mainland Greece to the southeast and a wide area of Corfu toward the northeast and northwest. It is believed to date back to the 13th century. The Aggelokastro is conspicuous by its domed gate at the entrance.
It boasts of priceless vestiges and there are exclusive storage rooms as well. Another interesting remnant is an ancient church dedicated to the angels Gabriel and Michael which is surprisingly constructed in a cave.
Corfu Kaizer Bridge
Kaiser Wilhelm II was extremely fond of Corfu and purchased the Achilleion Palace in 1907. The bridge was built in such a way that it formed an arch over the road, covering the lower gardens of the Achilleion and the nearby beach.
An important landmark today, it is still preserved not only as a symbol of architectural significance but also of imperial vanity.
Today the bridge is not in the form of its past glory since the central section was destroyed by Wehrmacht, during the Second World War, when the island was under German occupation. The destruction was necessary mainly to allow free movement for vehicles.
Corfu Kapodistrias Mansion
It was built about 1832 on the site of an earlier mansion owned by the family, in which the first prime minister of the modern Greek state, Ioannis Kapodistrias, was born. The Mansion of Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first governor of the modern Greek State, is among the most impressive buildings of Corfu Old Town.
It is located in the quarter of Mouragia, in close distance to the Museum of Asian Art and just above Faliraki.
At the period of the Ionian State, this building was the residence of the president of the Ionian Senat and after the Union of the Ionian Islands with Greece, the offices of the Prefecture was housed there. Over the last years, many works need to be done for the restoration of the mansion.
The building is used for the needs of the University and not as a museum.
Corfu Vidos Islet
A must-see place!
Take a boat from Corfu (round trip) and enjoy being far from tourists. Beautiful Island, many trees, 3 beaches, breeze and shadow spots to rest. The islet of Vidos lies right opposite Corfu town. This islet is small in size but has yet many special types of flora and fauna around it, thus it is protected as a nature reserve.
It is said that some underwater tunnels, constructed by the French, used to connect Vidos islet and the four fortresses of Corfu. Boats leave very frequently, almost every half an hour, and the trip takes about 10 minutes. Some diving centers also organize diving excursions around the coasts of Vidos islet.
Corfu Gardiki Castle
The castle of Gardiki is near the village of Agios Matheos (St. Mathew), 23 km west of the city of Corfu. It was built by the Byzantines in the 13th century and is considered a “twin” of Angelokastro. The castle is conspicuous by its octagonal shape and an ellipsoidal attachment.
The bordering parapets were adorned with traditional Byzantine artworks. The vestiges that one can see on the right-hand side of the main entrance are believed to belong to the in-house chapel. Apart from the principal castle, there are numerous other ancient edifices strewn around the castle’s surrounding areas, and each one unique in their architectural features.
The fact that the castle is nestled in the midst of verdant Olive groves, imparts a touch of ethereal beauty to the castle’s surroundings.
Corfu Kassiopi Tower
The tower was one of three built to defend the island. Together they formed a triangle: Kassiopi guarding the northeast, Gardiki guarding the south, and Angelokastro guarding the northwest.
From its location, Kassiopi Tower overlooks the Corfu Channel. This gave the tower strategic importance. Kassiopi Tower never played a major role in the history of Corfu as it was abandoned quite early, but it remains an important and interesting monument.
Unfortunately, the tower was seriously damaged by the Ottomans during the Venetian ruling, in the 14th century, and also by the Venetians, who were said to have used the building material of this tower to reinforce the towers of Corfu town. In our days, some efforts have been made to restore it but it yet lies in ruins.