Angelokastro Corfu

Angelokastro is one of the most vital Byzantine Castles within Greece. It is situated on the Corfu island at the highest peak of island’s beach within northwest coast close to Palaiokastritsa, which is particularly built on the rocky and precipitous terrain. It is based on thousand ft. on the steep cliff over the beautiful sea.  As per the survey of the City of Corfu as well as mountains of the Greek mainland it stands towards the southeast as well as a large area of Corfu to the northwest and northeast.  However, the origin of this name is never cleared as per different historical reports. While some historians suggesting that in 1214 Epirus Despot Michael I Komnenos Doukas sometime called as Michael Angelos, occupied Epirus to Corfu till his death. After that, Michael II Komnenos Doukas mostly known as Michael Angelos according to the native source he also ruled all over the area acquired by his father living in Angelokastro. However, despots were connected to Komnenoi Empire of the Byzantine emperors. Now, as per the foreign language and traveler signs in this area the castle is wrongly mentioned as St. Angelo’s castle.

Mentioned as most vital complex:

Angelokastro is considered as the most vital and well equipped complexes with the Byzantine Corfu.  It is also an outlines mentioned as the city on the edge, which is examined this region in entire way and considered as most beautiful parts of this city and making its more attractive as well. Byzantine Castles are also spread within the entire Greece, which is known as city walls, Castles enclosed settlements, that consisted by 1 or 2 enclosures as well as an Acropolis. However, smaller castles mostly served as the place of military unit that established to control or manage the passengers. Spread across the Byzantine Empire  defensive systems were designed in order to keep secure, towns and provinces.  Small differentiations towards the defensive systems are also experiential as per the culture background including historical growth within each location as well as building materials. As per the geographical points of view each and every castle connected to each other and keeps the area more secure and safe.

Located at the impregnable & strategic position, the Angelokastro became very important to island’s fortunes for several centuries. In times of peace it was the center of commerce & development. During the excavations at 1997 by Society of the Byzantine Antiquities Corfu, 2 Early Christian slabs totally were unearthed at a top of acropolis, and indicating that site was been occupied by early Byzantine time (from 5^th to 7^th centuryAD). Byzantines built this castle to defend the island from attacks of Genoan pirates. Before Venetians conquered the Corfu there were 3 castles that defended this island from the attacks: Cassiopi Castle in northwest of island, Angelokastro, defending west side of the Corfu & Gardiki in south of an island. This is considered as the 5 imposing architectural of Corfu all along with the Gardiki Castle, Kassiopi Castle was built by Angevins and 2 Venetian Fortresses of the Corfu City, Citadel & New Fort.

It is reasonably assumed that from Byzantium lost the dominion on southern Italy at 1071AD, Komnenoi should have paid lots of attention to castle from Corfu which by default became frontier to the west of the Byzantine Empire between 11^th  to 12^th centuries and, serving to the separate & defend Byzantium from the dangerous foes on to the west. Ruins of this city are huge. Among them is triumphal arch, the necropolis with beautiful Christian tombs etc. And 2 medieval castles, on the shore and other in islet, well connected by the ruined pier, are partially preserved; the former was reputedly impregnable . Walls of castle on mainland have a lot of pieces of the columns; and mole of shewn rocks projects on one angle of fortress about hundred yards over the bay. 3 churches were found as well, 1 of them decorated with frescoes.