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Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian islands.

The island is steeped in history and perennially connected to the history of Greece from the beginning of Greek mythology. Its Greek name, Kerkyra or Korkyra, is connected to two powerful water symbols: Poseidon, god of the sea and Asopos, an important Greek mainland river. According to myth, Poseidon fell in love with the beautiful nymph Korkyra, daughter of Asopus and river nymph Metope, and abducted her, as was the custom among gods of the era's myths – Zeus himself was a serial offender. Poseidon brought her to the hitherto unnamed island and, in marital bliss, offered her name to the place: Korkyra,which gradually evolved to Kerkyra (Doric).Together, they had a child they called Phaiax, after whom the inhabitants of the island were named: Phaiakes, which was then transliterated via Latin to Phaeacians. The island's history is laden with battles and conquests, indicative of Corfu's turbulent position in a historical vortex lasting until the modern period, at which time unification with modern Greece from 1864 made the island's history one with that of the mainland, with no further foreign intervention. The legacy of these struggles is visible in the form of castles punctuating strategic locations across the island. Two of these castles enclose its capital, which is the only city in Greece to be surrounded in such a way. As a result, Corfu's capital has been officially declared a Kastropolis (Castle city) by the Greek Government.In 2007, the city's old town was named on the UNESCO World Heritage List, following a recommendation by ICOMOS.

British naturalist Gerald Durrell wrote three well-loved books about his 1935–1940 childhood on Corfu: My Family and Other Animals; Birds, Beasts and Relatives; and The Garden of the Gods. His brother, literary author Lawrence Durrell, also wrote a volume about Corfu: Prospero's Cell: A Guide to the Landscape and Manners of the Island of Corcyra (Corfu).

Reference: Wikipedia

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Photo Information
  • Copyright: Georgia Panakia (g_panakia) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 415 W: 77 N: 768] (3966)
  • Genre: Places
  • Medium: Color
  • Date Taken: 2008-08-29
  • Categories: Architecture
  • Exposure: f/5.6, 1/250 seconds
  • More Photo Info: view
  • Photo Version: Original Version
  • Date Submitted: 2009-01-15 6:20
Viewed: 1332
Points: 38
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Additional Photos by Georgia Panakia (g_panakia) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 415 W: 77 N: 768] (3966)
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