Ionian Islands

Castles and palaces in the Ionian Islands

Explore the strategic military architecture of the Ionian Islands, ranging from the Byzantine defenses of Angelokastro and Gardiki to the massive Venetian fortifications in Corfu Town and Zakynthos. The list includes the Castle of Santa Maura, which guards the entrance to Lefkada, and the Kassiopi Fortress, once a key lookout over the Corfu Channel. For a contrast in style, the neoclassical Achilleion Palace showcases 19th-century imperial luxury and gardens dedicated to the hero Achilles.

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Achilleion Palace

Achilleion is a palace built on Corfu for Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also known as Sisi, after a suggestion by the Austrian consul…

Joanbanjo / CC BY-SA 3.0

Old Fortress

The Old Fortress of Corfu is a Venetian fortress in the city of Corfu.

Dr.K. / CC BY-SA 3.0

Angelokastro Castle

Angelokastro is a Byzantine castle on the island of Corfu,Greece. It is located at the top of the highest peak of the island's shoreline in…

MJJR / CC BY 3.0

Castle of Gardiki

Gardiki Castle is a 13th-century Byzantine castle on the southwestern coast of Corfu and the only surviving medieval fortress on the…

MJJR / CC BY 3.0

Kassiopi Fortress

A 13th-century fortification on the northeast coast of Corfu, built on the site of a Roman fort. It once protected the channel between the island and the mainland and features surviving perimeter walls and gate towers.

Christian Tavío / CC-BY-SA

Castle of Santa Maura

Originally built in the 14th century to protect the entrance to Lefkada. This extensive fortification features a moat, bastions, and an internal lighthouse, reflecting centuries of Byzantine, Ottoman, and Venetian military engineering.

Castle of Zakynthos

A Venetian fortress situated on the hill of Bochali above Zakynthos Town. Built on the site of the ancient acropolis of Psofis, the current structure dates primarily to the 15th and 17th centuries and contains ruins of churches and military barracks.