Greece – Angelokastro on the NW coasts of Corfu island
“Angelokastro” is one of the most important Byzantine castles of Greece and certainly of
Corfu. The origin of its name is not completely clear, with some historians mentioning that in
1214 Michael I Komnenos Doukas Despot of Epirus, sometimes called Michael Angelos,
annexed Corfu to Epirus and following his death, Michael II Komnenos Doukas, often called
Michael Angelos in narrative sources, further fortified the area and named it after himself and
his father: Angelokastro. The Despots were related to the Komnenoi dynasty of Byzantine
emperors. Today foreign language tourist signs in the area refer to it, wrongly, as “St.
Angelo's” castle or “Castle of the Angels”. Angelokastro is one of the most important fortified
complexes of Byzantine Corfu. It forms an Acropolis that surveyed the region all the way to
the southern Adriatic and therefore presented a formidable strategic vantage point to the
occupant of the castle. It played a pivotal role during the Great Siege of Corfu in 1571 when
the Turkish attack on the northwestern flank of Corfu was successfully repulsed by the
defenders of the castle. Located at the top of the highest peak of the Corfu shoreline in the
northwest coast near Paleokastritsa ( in Greek : Old Castle place ) and built on particularly
steep and rocky terrain.
For many centuries Angelokastro was an important strategic fortification to protect Corfu
commanding, as it does, a view of almost the entire southern Adriatic. According to the notice
board on display it was probably first occupied in the early Byzantine period (5th - 7th
Centuries).
The castle enjoyed considerable prominence during the period of Venetian rule (1386 - 1797).
Later it fell into disuse and during the 19th Century it was in a totally abandoned state. It was
restored to its present condition in 1999.
It is protected on 3 sides by the sea, the west and south sides being precipitous cliffs. The
only access is by a narrow land bridge and a very steep climb. At the highest point is The
Citadel with its main gate at the north protected by a circular tower. The ruins opposite the
main gate were the garrison's quarters, and 3 underground cisterns kept the castle supplied
with water. The walls' battlements only survive today in the north-west corner. At the highest
point of The Citadel stands the little Church of the Archangel Michael, which was built on the
site of what was probably an early Christian 3-aisled church. Several nearby graves were
carved out of solid rock. The wall paintings are relatively modern dating from the 18th
Century.
Corfu Island
At the edge of the Empire
It can be reasonably assumed that since Byzantium lost its dominion over southern Italy in
1071 A.D. the
Komnenoi must have paid a lot of attention to the castle since Corfu by default became the
frontier to the west of the Byzantine Empire between the 11th and 12th centuries, serving to
separate and defend Byzantium from its dangerous foes to the west.
At the same time the acritic and windswept fortifications helped safeguard Corfu from the
great menace of that era, i.e. the Normans of Sicily whose constant incursions had turned the
island into a theatre of military conflict.
Students - active in preparing this project
Irini Anthi (16), Filippos Doukakis (16), Maria Skoularakou (17), Katerina Nikita (17)
INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL

OFFICIAL NAME OF SCHOOL
4o Geniko Lykeio Kerkyras

TYPE OF SCHOOL
Secondary General Education School

ADDRESS
3rd Parodos Ethnikou Stadiou

POSTAL CODE
GR 49100

TOWN
KERKYRA (CORFU)

COUNTRY
GREECE

URL
http://4lyk-kerkyr.ker.sch.gr

E-MAIL OF SCHOOL
mail@4lyk-kerkyr.ker.sch.gr

TEACHER CONTACT DETAILS
Panos Dimisianos, pandimis@yahoo.gr or pdimis@otenet.gr
published 2006/2007