"Here, history sighs
not in ruins, but in life.
Corfu ever thrives."
— h/t ChatGPT
Today's photo-of-the-day is of Corfu, Greece.
"The ancient city of Corfu, known as Korkyra, took part in the Battle
of Sybota which was a catalyst for the Peloponnesian War, and,
according to Thucydides, the largest naval battle between Greek city
states until that time. Thucydides also reports that Korkyra was one
of the three great naval powers of fifth-century-BC Greece, along with
Athens and Corinth.
"Medieval castles punctuating strategic locations
across the city are a legacy of struggles in the Middle Ages against
invasions by pirates and the Ottomans. The city has become known since
the Middle Ages as Kastropolis (Castle City) because of its two
castles.
"From 1386 to 1797, Corfu was ruled by Venetian nobility; much of
the city reflects this era when the island belonged to the Republic of
Venice, with multi-storied buildings on narrow lanes. The Old Town of
Corfu has clear Venetian influence. The city was subjected to four
notable sieges in 1537, 1571, 1573 and 1716, in which the strength of
the city defenses asserted itself time after time, mainly because of
the effectiveness of the powerful Venetian fortifications. Writer Will
Durant claimed that Corfu owed to the Republic of Venice the fact that
it was the only part of Greece never conquered by the Ottomans"
Needless to say, with that history, Corfu offers a blend of
surprises around every corner.
