Corfu island, known as Kerkyra in Greek, owns its name the Nymph Korkira, the daughter of the River God, Aesopos. According to the myth, Poseidon, God of the Sea, fell in love with Nymph Korkira, kidnapped her and brought her on this island. Archaeological excavations have proved that the island was inhabited since the Paleolithic Era. Corfu was the island of the Phaeacians, where Odysseus landed on his return trip to Ithaca. In the ancient times, Corfu was a very important commercial centre inhabited by the Phoenicians. There was trading with all the towns of the Adriatic Sea, making Corfu a strong naval power and an important colonial town, known today as Paleopolis (Mon Repos). The ruins of this ancient town are found right opposite the Mon Repos Palace in Corfu Town. Some ancient temples have also been excavated around the island, such as the temple of Artemis.
Few islands in Greece have such a long and turbulent history as the tiny city of Corfu. Two massive fortresses at each end of the historic city are the first indications of what battles raged some centuries ago, and the sheer number of majestic buildings, including two palaces, just how desirable this place was. The main reason Corfu was always a battle away from the next one, was its geographic location. At just sixty nautical miles away from Italy it was and still is the gateway to Mainland Europe. Corfu was the first port of call for any ship coming to Greece from the Adriatic sea. It also was a stop with plentiful supplies of food, water and precious timber for building or repairing ships, the Venetian shipyard in Gouvia still stands testament of this. So it should come as no wonder why the Venetians invested so much in Corfu, building two massive fortresses to protect the city, which they did so well, that Corfu is the only part of Greece never to fall into Ottoman hands.
And its not just the Venetians who have a long history with the island. The British, the Austrians, the French, even the Russians have all left their marks and despite the bombings of the second World war, the museums struggle to maintain and display all that still exists and is still being found.
English domination
After Napoleon, many countries were interested in the control of Corfu island but, thanks to the aid of general Ioannis Kapodistrias, in 1815 was signed in Paris a treaty that recognized the autonomy of the Ionian islands with the exclusive control of England. So the State of Joined Ionian Islands was born and lasted until 1864. The first english high commissioner was Sir Thomas Maitland, who revealed himself as a strict and repressive dictator very soon, stirring strong complaints from the Corfiots. However the English government was perhaps the most flourishing period in the history of Corfu. It brought in fact a large development of the economy, the public health and the education. There was instituted the first Greek University, widened the road network and there was realized a system of public aqueduct. In those years Corfu had also a progressive development of its commerce with the adjacent countries, especially in 1859 with the last English governor, the colonel Henry Storz.
Freedom and annexation to Greece
The treaty of High power States, stipulated to London in 1863, decreed that England renounce to the Ionian islands and in May 1864 the island of Corfu became finally part of Greece.
Once annexed to Greece, the city of Corfu lost power in favour of Athens, but the rest of the island began to prosper both politically and economically with a widening of the industrial activities.
The increase of the island was also from the agricultural and artistic point of view, mostly under the political guide of G. Theotokis, who was also the first Greek minister for many years. The two World Wars, carried heavy consequences for all Corfu island; numerous historical, architectonic monuments and various cultural centers were destroyed. During the Second World War the Italian took the power of the island in a pacific way until Mussolini died. The 20th Century began in a very hard way for the Corfiots, but they knew how to make useful the splendid nature and the sweet climate of the island in order to begin a new economic development.
Today Corfu is one of the most fascinating and organized places for holidays of the entire Mediterranean sea. Fishing and agriculture cover a marginal but important role in the economy of the island that finds in the European tourism its most important economic source. Its sandy beaches, its colourful bays and its tourist receptivity bewitch every summer thousand of travelers, impressed also by the fascination of the old city and by the old traditions of Corfu that are still alive. With the modern part of its city, Corfu is today an island full of life also in the winter months, mostly due to the institution of the Greek University of the Ionian Islands. Together with the tourism there is the production and sale of oil, honey, wine and kumquat that are the most famous local products. Moreover in the mountain there are still cattle ranches and cheese, milk, yogurt and some cold meat are produced. Finally there is also the local craft that makes available to the tourists some typical products of the island as objects carved in olive wood, embroidered fabrics, articles in woven straw and wood furniture.
Corfu today
Today Corfu is one of the most fascinating and organized places for holidays of the entire Mediterranean sea. Fishing and agriculture cover a marginal but important role in the economy of the island that finds in the European tourism its most important economic source. Its sandy beaches, its colourful bays and its tourist receptivity bewitch every summer thousand of travelers, impressed also by the fascination of the old city and by the old traditions of Corfu that are still alive. With the modern part of its city, Corfu is today an island full of life also in the winter months, mostly due to the institution of the Greek University of the Ionian Islands. Together with the tourism there is the production and sale of oil, honey, wine and kumquat that are the most famous local products