Achilleion Palace

Achilleion on Corfu is the palace of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, built in 1890 and dedicated to Achilles, the hero of the Iliad. Its colonnades, vivid interiors, and sculptures of muses and gods create the atmosphere of ancient Pompeian splendor, while the painting Triumph of Achilles on the grand staircase establishes a dramatic tone. After changing owners and serving military purposes, the palace became a museum. It preserves furniture and decorative objects from the 19th and 20th centuries, letters by Elisabeth and Wilhelm II, and balconies overlooking the city and southern Corfu. In the gardens, mythological scenes come to life, including the sculpture Dying Achilles.

It is said that the beauty of the courtesan Phryne saved her life: she removed her clothing before the judges, and they were so overwhelmed that they acquitted her.