Description of the attraction
The Palace of Saints Michael and George (Palea Anaktora), also known as the Royal Palace, is the largest monument of British rule on the island of Corfu. The huge architectural complex was built in 1819-1824 as the residence of Sir Thomas Maitland (British High Commissioner, Governor of the Ionian Islands). The palace also housed the Ionian Senate and the headquarters of the Order of St Michael and St George, a British order of knights founded in 1818. The palace was built according to the design of the English engineer Colonel Sir George Whitmore in the Roman style and is made of Maltese limestone.
The three-story building has a massive façade decorated with Doric columns. On the sides there are two symmetrical wings made in the form of covered galleries. One of the galleries is named after St. George and leads to the Venetian harbor. The second part, named after St. Michael, opens onto the palace park. In front of the main entrance on the square there is a bronze monument to Frederic Adams, who was the governor of the Ionian Islands in 1824-1831. The palace complex is surrounded by beautiful gardens with ponds and lush vegetation.
After the British left Corfu in 1864, the royal family of Greece lived in the palace for some time. Then the building was abandoned, and the beautiful architectural ensemble fell into decay. During the Second World War, the building miraculously survived after the Italians bombed the city of Corfu. In the 50s of the 20th century, on the initiative of the British ambassador to Greece, the palace was restored. Also, a major restoration was carried out in 1992-1994.
Today, the Palace of St. Michael and St. George houses the Museum of Asian Art. The basis of the collection consists of 10,000 exhibits, which were collected by the diplomat G. Manos (a native of Kerkyra) during his travels to China, Japan, India and other countries. It also houses the archives of the Ionian Senate, the Inspectorate of Classical Antiquities and a public library with a collection of over 60,000 volumes of both Greek and foreign books. In the palace park there is an Art Cafe, which houses an art gallery. Exhibitions of Greek and foreign artists are regularly held here.
The Palace of Saints Michael and George is a historical heritage and an important architectural monument. The palace is also used as a venue for official diplomatic events. In 1994, the European Union summit was held here, and in 2002 - a meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Council.
