This is a quite famous Corfu Town map dating back from the early 1700s and it is one of the most accurate as well. Though nobody knows who engraved it, it is rich in detail giving us an idea of how the town looked back then.
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Looking at the map, we can easily note that there is not Liston, nor Palace, as both are edifices built in the 19th century. The Esplanade didn't look quite like today, it had no trees, no cricket course - a church, a "loggia" (place where gathered the venetian noble families) and a windmill (denoted as "molino" on the map) were the prominent future of this undeveloped then open space, being a part of the town's defense system.
The walls and the fortresses looked rigid. Inside the Old Fortress more buildings stood, housing many families while the New one should have been no very different than today. San Rocco and Garitsa were the two suburbs. San Rocco was built on the road which started at Porta Reala (Royal Gate) and led to the northern side of the island.
The newest parts of town didn't existed. Town was surrounded by its walls which provided protection from the invaders and from the pirates.
1 comment:
Surely a better town plan!!!
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