Palaio Frourio Fortress

Palaio Frourio, on Corfu's eastern promontory, is a fortress built on an artificial island separated by the Contra Fossa channel. Founded by the Byzantines in the 8th century, it was expanded by the Venetians and British. Venetian bastions, western gates, and cleared rock faces made the fortress nearly impregnable, while a drawbridge across the moat emphasized its defensive role. Today, the citadel contains a lighthouse and summit cross, a monument to a Venetian field marshal, and the Church of Saint George. Its interiors house a historical archive and exhibitions of Byzantine mosaics, icons, and frescoes.

In the 16th and 18th centuries, Palaio Frourio defended Corfu against Ottoman attacks. Strong walls and the courage of its defenders kept the fortress unconquered, and the attackers never succeeded in taking the island.