New Fortress (Neo Frourio)

The New Fortress (Neo Frourio) stands on the hill of St Mark above the Old Port of Corfu Town, in the Ionian Islands of Greece. After the Ottoman siege of 1537 exposed weaknesses in the town's defences, the Venetian Republic, which then held Corfu, decided to enclose the northwestern suburbs and the harbour approaches. Construction began in the 1570s under the direction of Venetian military engineers, and the fortress was designed to command both the sea and the land to the west. Its walls, bastions and ramparts form part of the wider fortification system recognised by UNESCO as part of the Old Town of Corfu.

The complex is built from heavy local stone, with sloping walls, angled bastions and a gate bearing the winged lion of St Mark, the emblem of Venice. Inside are vaulted tunnels, casemates, storerooms and cisterns, some of which are open to visitors. The rooftop terraces give wide views over the Old Port, the rooftops of the Old Town and the Old Fortress across the bay. Elements such as the Venetian gate and the pentagonal layout of the main works remain legible, though later British and Greek military uses added buildings and altered some interiors.

The New Fortress is interpreted through its architecture rather than a formal museum display. Visitors move through tunnels and across bastions at their own pace, and the site is sometimes used for temporary exhibitions and cultural events. Restoration by Greek heritage authorities has made the main routes safe, but some parts remain unrestored or closed. In the 19th and 20th centuries the fortress served military purposes, and part of the adjoining area was long associated with the Greek navy. The location near the Old Port, with its outdoor stalls and the Solomou Street approach, makes it a convenient stop for visitors exploring the western side of the Old Town. The scale and condition of the stonework give a clearer sense of Venetian military engineering than many smaller sites on the island.