Friday, December 30, 2011

August 2011: Corfu ; New Citadel/Fortress

After completing the visit to the new town, I decided to go visit the New Citadel/Fortress. This was built by the Venetians way back between 1572 and 1645. Pretty solid construction.

Photobucket

We walk up a gently inclined slope. This lovely coloured building on the right is the Historical Church of Virgin of Carmel. I leave the family here, they were tired and didnt really want to go traipsing around in the heat looking at mouldy old buildings and guns like their mad father.

Photobucket

The sign is a bit pockmarked…

Photobucket

Narrow winding streets with stairs hew off in carious directions.

Photobucket

Keep on climbing these wide shallow steps.

Photobucket

Another tiny little square and then a small path which takes off up the hill to more houses. Beautiful houses and flats. You feel somnolent as you go on.

Photobucket

I reach the fortress walls.

Photobucket

And on the right, there is a donkey wearing a bib. Hmmm.

Photobucket

After paying é3 for entry (so low????) i start walking up.

Photobucket

You can see how they had constructed the walls from the limestone.

Photobucket

Following the path up, these walls are absolutely massive.

Photobucket

There on the right is the entrance to the fortress.

Photobucket

Coming to a fork on the path, on the left is a path which seems to head around the outside wall but its blocked off.

Photobucket

Walking up next to the inner wall now.

Photobucket

PhotobucketPhotobucket

Photobucket

Corfu from the first level. The pastel colours are so soothing.

Photobucket

Hello? What do we have here?

Photobucket

Looks like a gun port. This oversee’s the town. I wonder why they would have a gun port overlooking the town…

Photobucket

Looking back at the entrance. That white building on the right contains the loo and the tiny one on the far right is the entrance post.

Photobucket

Back to the entrance.

Photobucket

Solid stone, low entrance. One has to have controlled entrances I guess.

Photobucket

Entering into the tunnel. You can just imagine the thickness of the wall, so thick that a passageway of almost 50 feet is fully enclosed.

Photobucket

Walking up, there is a significant incline as you go up, all part of the defensive mechanism I suppose, difficult to fight up when stones and burning barrels are being rolled down on you..

Photobucket

I come out of the passageway and on the left is a 50 meter tall wall.

Photobucket

On the right, I can see the new Port. Well, its a tiny port, but port none the less.

Photobucket

The harbour area.

Photobucket

I can see the Old Fortress in the background and the Steeple of the Church of St. Spyridon on the left.

Photobucket

Its a small courtyard as you can see. The trees are on the other adjoining part of the fortress where I cant go.

Photobucket

Looking up, I see another passage way. Good lord, another one, the Venetians made some serious construction stuff here. That’s an ugly ass passage.

Photobucket

The floor is cobbled with drainage channels built into the floor. Very slippery and my boaters were slip sliding away…

Photobucket

I emerge out of the second passageway and see this massive 30 meter tall wall on the left and a narrow, twin pathway in front of me. On the right, there is a low, about 1 meter tall, wall with a sloped top. Perfect firing positions.

Photobucket

I peek over to see the New Harbour. Perfect commanding position.

Photobucket

I drag my carcass up the path and then turn the corner, bloody hell, another inclined pathway up the fortress. With drainage channels. Very nice but I am struggling now. Badly out of breath.

Photobucket

Manage to get up to the top and climb the ramp.

Photobucket

Oh! heck, another bloody passage way.

Photobucket

With a sharp right turn, another defensive mechanism I presume.

Photobucket

There is wooden decking as I enter.

Photobucket   Photobucket

And there is an open courtyard. On the right, where the armoury used to be, is a restaurant. On the left is a gun port with curving walls.

Photobucket

I look up, its another massive 40 meter wall.

Photobucket

The courtyard opens up.

Photobucket

I step into what would be the keep. And see this wooden stairs.

Photobucket

With a round stone cut window.

Photobucket

The landing has these three archer’s windows.

Photobucket

With the windows narrowing to a thin 3 inch wide slit.

Photobucket

There are a series of rooms interconnected by these doorways in the middle. Ok, so off I go exploring.

Photobucket

I am now about 10 meters above the courtyard and can see Corfu town spread out in front of me.

Photobucket

As you can see, these doorways had, well, doors. You can see the space for hinges.

Photobucket

Keep on walking inside.

Photobucket

These areas are under reconstruction.

Photobucket

Reach a passageway with differently shaped windows.

Photobucket

With a staircase!, frikking hell, my poor knees.

Photobucket

But my fatal curiosity got hold of me, where does this damn staircase lead?

Photobucket

The room is empty, with 3 arched doorways.

Photobucket

Ok, so I get to start climbing. I understand that there used to be a wooden staircase here before and if by any chance, the enemy would have gotten as close to here, they would burn the staircase so that the upper floors would be isolated.

Photobucket

Climbing the stairs, huffing and puffin. The stone walls press uncomfortably close to me.

Photobucket

Ancient graffiti on the stone flagstones.

Photobucket

I emerge into the top level stairwell structure with an arrow slit. I can look down into the harbour area.

Photobucket

Come out to the top of the fortress. You can see the gun ports. That inclined ramp on the left is so that the gun, after firing and recoil, can go up the slope and then roll back into position. Smart, eh? use the force for your own benefit.

Photobucket

The Greek Flag flying over the fortress. It was a bit tatty, but perhaps a fair representation of what Greece has become now, eh?

Photobucket

I crouched down to look through the arrow slit to have an idea of how a venetian soldier will feel..besides a painful knee, I couldnt feel anything.

Photobucket

The panorama of Corfu, wonderful sights.

Photobucket

The lovely colours of the houses are just wonderful.

Photobucket

Taking a long view with the dark blue Ionian Sea on the left. Lovely view.

Photobucket

I start walking around the top. Peek over to see the other end of the Fortress. We cannot go in there. It seems to be overgrown with trees and weeds…

Photobucket

Walking across, there seems to be another open area one level down.

Photobucket

Its about 100 meters by 100 meters with a spur running on the north side.

Photobucket

I look back, curiously, the gun ports are facing the city side. Hmmm. The rounded hut kind of thing is the entrance down to the fortress.

Photobucket

See what I mean? the gun ports sight over the city and far into the distance is the bay.

Photobucket

The round hut is definitely looking its age.

Photobucket

Another gun platform.

Photobucket

The other end of the top terrace.

Photobucket

From here, you can command the view of the channel.

Photobucket

Another jetty of the new port.

Photobucket

A breakwater

Photobucket

The island in the middle of the channel

Photobucket

I turn to go back down. The door has been removed and the hinge stones are damaged.

Photobucket

Going down the stairs.

Photobucket    Photobucket

Heading down, I look up through the 2 doors.

Photobucket

Back down one level and start moving to the right.

Photobucket

Looking out of the window and seeing the courtyard.

Photobucket

There is a small exhibition of pottery which has been found in the fortress precincts.

Photobucket

The views from that level are spectacular indeed.

Photobucket

Back down to the courtyard.

Photobucket

Start walking around to the other side of the fortress. Hello?

Photobucket

A rather sad looking gun on its side.

Photobucket

At end of the passage, there is this small guard house. And it stank, smelled like somebody had been using it for a loo.

Photobucket

I turn the corner and another open passageway.

Photobucket

Photobucket

The walls on the left are severely cracked, not sure if this was due to earthquakes or due to subsistence. I suspect the former.

Photobucket

The arrow slits and windows on the walls.

Photobucket

Oh! heck, another covered passageway.

Photobucket

Come out of it.

Photobucket

And another one going down, I understand there is another exit there. But I was still wanting to see more.

Photobucket

I come out on the second courtyard and head west. Massive massive walls.

Photobucket

You can see the moat. But this is a dry moat, you cant have a wet one up on a hill.

Photobucket

The dry moat extends around the fortress.

Photobucket

West Corfu.

Photobucket

The other part of the fortress.

Photobucket

Looking out over North Corfu and the bay.

Photobucket

The courtyard is severely overgrown.

Photobucket

This is apparently an ammunition dump. its locked up.

Photobucket

Interesting construction, its like a building inside a tank

Photobucket

There’s the passageway

Photobucket

Heading back

Photobucket

The earthquake did some damage

Photobucket

This series of holes are for bolting the door to the ground.

Photobucket

Arrow slits

Photobucket

Start walking towards the other side of the fortress

Photobucket

Locked gate..

Photobucket

Another passageway

Photobucket

No entrance, perhaps some reconstruction is happening?

Photobucket

Another passageway but I am heading out now

Photobucket

Back on the main exit

Photobucket

View across the channel

Photobucket

The sloping walls of the fortress

Photobucket

What’s that on the edge?

Photobucket

Heading down the passageway and out.

PhotobucketPhotobucket

You can see how they drilled holes into the limestone and then blew it up to create the foundations of the fortress.

Photobucket

Popped into the loo and lol@sign.

Photobucket

Looking back at the fortress

Photobucket

Just outside the entrance is another covered passageway, this goes to the other side of the fortress.

Photobucket

Photobucket

Its full of graffiti, obviously not maintained.

Photobucket

Out on the other side, the walls…

Photobucket

Huge thick walls.

Photobucket

Heading back

Photobucket 
And then heading down the stairs to collect the family and get back to the hotel, it has been a long long day.

No comments: