Welcome to our Newsletter of August 2008

The litany of St. Spyridon, 11th of August

St. Spyridon Litany infront of the Palace, 19th century

St. Spyridon saved the Venetian occupied Corfu on four different occasions. One of them was back in 1716 when due to his miraculous help the Town was relieved from the Turkish siege. Since then a litany of his relics is celebrated on the 11th of August which is also a public holiday.

A lesser known fact about Corfu

Lazaretto islet

The small green historical islet, known as Lazaretto, played a significant role in Corfu’s history. It is located two nautical miles North-West of Corfu town, just before the entrance to Gouvia Marina. It has an area of 17,500 sq.m and it is administered by the Greek National Tourist Organization.

During the Venetian occupation the passengers, the crew, the animals and the goods of the ships whose destination was Corfu, were kept in this islet for medical supervision. It was a tiresome waiting process for the travellers, which initially would last for forty days but within the next years it was decreased relating to the ship’s origin and the epidemics which had burst out in different places. It was also the place where the patients who were infected with different kinds of contagious diseases were transferred.

The Italian word ¨lazaretto¨ means pest house, quarantine, hospital for infectious diseases. The Venetians founded quarantine with all necessary services in the 17^th century and since the day that this health service was provided, the island was called Lazaretto.
“Lazaretta” were initially established in Venice in 1423 on an island where there was a church with the name Virgin Maria of Nazareth (Santa Maria di Nazaret). By corrupting the name Nazaret they called “Lazaretta” all the small islands which during the Venice domination were used for this purpose. The quarantines of this period considered a significant improvement to the public health system and their establishment by the Venetians showed their interest in protecting the island's residents. For the time being, plague was the epidemic which was decimating the population.

When the Russian-Turks occupied Corfu, the Turks established a Military Hospital on Lazaretto Islet along with other services. The islet was also known as Saint Dimitrios due to the fact that during the British occupation a temple of beautiful architecture was built there. Unfortunately today only four walls remain still dedicated to the homonymous Saint.

In different time periods and in special occasions improvised quarantines were operating in other places, as well. Characteristic examples are the ones of 1816 in Lefkimmi area and in the villages of Argyrades and Chlomos, where plague appeared coming from Bari.

In Lazaretto, ruins of old buildings, mosaic floors and coins of Roman emperors were excavated. During the Italian occupation the islet was used as a prison camp for the Greek fighters against the regime (1941-1943). It was also the execution area for at least 112 political prisoners of Corfu between 1942-1944 and 1947-1949. Today, the crosses with the names of the executed prisoners remind us of this tragic period of Corfiot and Greek history.

Lazaretto has been officialy classified a historical place since 1992, and for this reason a Museum of Medical History and National Reconciliation is to be built. The old leprosy hospital is set for restoration and the surrounding area will be refurbished and made fully accessible to the public, according to a Corfu Municipality architectural study that has the approval of Deputy Environment Minister Stavros Kaloyiannis.

Most of the information were taken from the book of Giorgos Sourtzinos "Toponymia"

Feature Property for sale

A maisonette in Corfu Country Club

The Corfu Country Club is an exclusive enclave of 18 villas of grand standing with gardens, patios, verandas, terraces, a common swimming pool and beach access. It has been developed on a piece of land right by the sea, in one of the most privileged areas of the island. It enjoys beautiful clear water and breath-taking views. It is located on the North –East side of the island between Ipsos and Barbati less than half an hour drive from Corfu Town and the airport.

Top floor with master en-suite bedroom and a large veranda of 20 sq.m. Ground floor with entrance, open plan kitchen / dining area and a sitting room with open fireplace on a different level. Large balcony of 15 sq.m. Garden Floor with one bedroom and one bathroom on split levels. A veranda leads to the terraced garden and to the private parking. All floors are tiled and the ceilings are beamed and wooden.

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A moment's in Corfu's history

The New Fortress

View of the New Fortress taken from the summit of the Old Fortress on June 2008

In 1577, after the Corfiot people’s repeated petitions through envoys, Venice decided to build a new fortress in order to secure and effectively protect the town. Furthermore, they decided that it was necessary to surround the town with defensive walls. For this purpose, they sent the reputable architect Ferrante Vitelli to Corfu, to manage these fortified works, the designs of which were drawn up by Savorgnan, Pallavicino, Baglioni, Martinengo and Calabrese.

The construction of the new fortress began on the hill above Spilia which by then was named Lofos Agiou Markou (St. Marko hill). The fortress was named after that hill in later years. This imposing construction was finished in 1588 at the same time as the walling of the town and in order to distinguish it from the Old Fortress it was established with the place-name ‘New Fortress’.

The location of the fortress dominates the port and the outskirts of the Old Town. With the purpose of making it impregnable, one dry corner ditch was built to the land side, towards which the small exits which we come across today were leading. Additionally, between Avramis hill and The New Fortress a big ditch was created which is today’s Ioanni Theotoki street.

Two ramparts were forming its main fortification. Apart from that it consisted of barracks, powder-kegs, the commander’s quarters, a few noble’s residences, three water tanks of 38,000 m³ capacity. A network of underground galleries were connected among themselves and with the Old Fortress, creating a sub terranean maze. During the II world war, this area was used as an air raid shelter for thousands of civilians.

The New Fortress was a significant, modern and demonstrative fortified unit which was well-known for its security, perfection and unique architecture still visible on the buildings lines, the forts and the two beautiful intact gates with the Venetian emblem of St. Marko winged lion. The New Fortress was Corfu’s shield when the Ottoman Empire tried to occupy the island in 1716. This impregnable fort, with the Field Marshal Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg as a commander and the help of St. Spyridon, obstructed the furious attacks of 30.000 Turkish soldiers and saved West Europe from the Turkish invasion. For that reason a litany of St. Spyridon’s relics is performed every 11^th of August.

After the Venetians, the French and mainly the British completed the building installations, distinguished by the memorial inscriptions saved on their façades.

There is a characteristic rectangle and long impressive building, which is located on the north side of the fortress. The Police training school was operated here for the first time in 1921. During the Greek-Italian war, the building suffered from lots of damages but later on, half of it was renovated. Since 1954 it accommodates the Naval Headquarters.

Close to the above mentioned building on top of a small hill is the picturesque church of ¨Panagia Spiliotissa¨ which means Virgin Mary of the Cave. It took its name from the two exposures of Virgin Mary drawn on a stone and dated from the first centuries of Christianity which were found inside a cave. The area around the fortress was then named ‘Spilia’ which means “cave”

Nowadays, the New Fortress is open to visitors and anyone can admire its architecture and the fabulous views towards the Old part of Corfu Town, the outskirts, The Old Fortress and the port. Inside its area is the Corfiot Ceramics Museum, which was founded in 1999 from the Historical Folklore Company of Corfu. Through the 150 interesting exhibits (pots and different kind of ceramics) the visitor can track the development and technique of Corfiot ceramics from the middle of 17^th century until the middle of the 20^th century.

Most of the information were taken from the book of Giorgos Sourtzinos "Toponymia"

A Character from Corfu's past:

Corfiot Ladies in wedding dresses, 1902

The photo is from the book of Dimitris Kantas "Traditional dresses of Corfu"

The Jonathan Edward Dunn Team