The Old Fortress of Corfu is one of the most impressive fortification works in Europe. It is the first thing to see as the ferry approaches Corfu. It stands on the eastern side of the town, on a rocky peninsula that gets into the sea. This fortress is called Old in contrast to the New Fortress (of Saint Mark), which was also built to protect the town from enemies and pirates.
This fortress was constructed by the Venetians in the 15th century on the site of a former Byzantine castle. To make it more secure, they made an artificial fosse and thus they separated the fortress from the mainland. The fortress was connected to the land by a movable, wooden bridge. In 1819, the British replaced this bridge with the present stable pathway, which is 60 m long and stands 15 metres above the fosse, locally known as contafossa.
Visited by many and well worth walking right to the top to see the spectacular 360 degree views. Its quite a hard walk and we recommend you take a drink with you especially on a hot day as there are no facilities at the top. There is a private cafe on the site, located towards the chapel of Saint George.
This fortress was constructed by the Venetians in the 15th century on the site of a former Byzantine castle. To make it more secure, they made an artificial fosse and thus they separated the fortress from the mainland. The fortress was connected to the land by a movable, wooden bridge. In 1819, the British replaced this bridge with the present stable pathway, which is 60 m long and stands 15 metres above the fosse, locally known as contafossa.
Visited by many and well worth walking right to the top to see the spectacular 360 degree views. Its quite a hard walk and we recommend you take a drink with you especially on a hot day as there are no facilities at the top. There is a private cafe on the site, located towards the chapel of Saint George.