Two interesting buildings of Old Corfu Town

Today I decided to stroll into the old Corfu Town, just to visit two notable buildings of the Venetian era: the oldest still standing house in town and the building where Nikolaos Mantzaros (the composer of the Greek National Anthem and one of the most important musicians in Greece) was born.

- 18 Filellinοn street

Historians say that this house on 18 Filellinon street (Φιλελλήνων 18) was built at 1497 and it is the oldest still standing house in Corfu town. Notice the detailed door's framework.





- Mantzaros House (Agiou Vasileiou street).

Another important house found in Agiou Vasileiou street (Αγίου Βασιλείου), is the place where Nikolaos Mantzaros was born in 1795, lived and died in 1872. A commemorative plaque above the entrance says in Greek: "In this house was born, lived and died the majestic Corfiot composer, who dedicated all his life to teach this divine art and composed the National Hymn, Nikolaos Ch. Mantzaros, born in 1795 and died in 1872". I think this building is important because Mantzaros was the founder of the so-called Eptanisiaki Scholi, which produced many notable composers who laid the foundations for the Modern Greek national music.