| At the northwest edge of the picturesque neighborhood of Tenedos, where the characteristic ‘skalinada’ (wide steps) of Solomou Street joins the passage of the street market and street Scholemvourgou, is now the entrance of the New Fortress and the ticket office. The New Fortress of Corfu (Venetian: Fortezza Nuova) is a Venetian fortress built on the hill of St. Mark in Corfu in stages. (You can note several Venetian blazons with the Lion of St.Mark on the walls).The original architect of the fort was the military engineer Ferrante Vitelli. The current buildings which exist within the fortress were built by the British during their rule of the island (1815â63). At the top of the castle there is a stone building which was used for defence and a brick building which in modern times functions as the headquarters of the Naval Station of Corfu. The Venetian fortifications were later expanded by the British and the French to help defend against a possible Turkish attack. The Fortress compound is divided into two levels. In the lower level there is a three-storey building called ‘Punta Perpetua’ and a bastion of pentagonal shape. Inside the bastion there is a maze of arched chambers, galleries, ventilation shafts, stairs and ramps. The fortress has two baroque-styled gates. Its western side features a dry moat which spans the length of the walls, running from the vegetable market to the new harbour. The moat is a good example of moat architecture. The structure features twin bastions one of which is called ‘Bastion of the Seven Winds’. The bastion has a commanding view of the sea and the mountains of mainland Greece. Below the bastion there is a building which was built by the British and functioned as military barracks. Nowadays it houses art exhibits and collections as well as space for social events. The bastion is at a height of 55 m above sea level and features structures such as underground cisterns, powder magazines, artillery positions and underground halls. Do not forget to see the impressive main entrance gate of the Fortress with the Venetian lion facing the city’s Old Port. In general there is not too much to see in this historical location. We prefer to visit it in the morning before it gets too hot and preferably on a clear day because the view is great. There is also a cafe at the top. |
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Mimi & Coco team.