The creation of this fortress was started under Byzantine domination and later, under the Venetian occupation, was changed the structure to defend better Corfu town from Turkish. Venetian people, during their occupation, worked also to make the ramparts stronger and smooth.
The statue in honour of Commander Schulenburg (built by Venetian to remember the battle against Turkish) is just near the bridge that will take the visitors inside the fortress. From here by a covered stair you can access to the hearth of the citadel.
A hallway on your left will take you also to the higher part of the fortress. At the end of the hallway there’s also a small path that conduces to the ancient barracks, while along the south side of the hill you can visit the little church of St. George.
This little church was built in 1840 by English an later has been adorned with icons coming from St. Spyridon church still present in the old Corfu town. Inside the fortress there are different buildings such as a prison built in 1786 by Venetian and made it bigger in a second moment by English.
Not far from the prison you can also visit the military church called “Madonna of Carmini” and an ancient military hospital converted today into a music school. Inside the fortress, near the principal gate there’s the historical archive that gather up more than 6 centuries of Corfu history.
Inside this archive there are many old documents and the Corfu Byzantine Collection that includes icons, sculptures and paintings of the Byzantine period.
Apart from the historical and cultural point of view, the Old Fortress offers also a stunning view overlooking the town of Corfu and the Ionian sea between the island and the mainland.