A fortress is an island Photo

Photographer’s Note

One of the two fortresses of the beautiful town of Corfu, is this one, the Old Fortress(the other one is the New Fortress) separated by the town of Corfu, by a canal, called "Contra Fossa". Some info about the Old Fortress, that I found HERE :

"The Old Fortress stands over the Esplanade (Spianada Square) and is linked to the town by a fixed iron bridge 60 meters in length. This bridge used to be wooden and was drawn up to isolate the fortress for greater safety.

The first fortifications of the Old Fortress were started about the 6th century AD after the destruction of the ancient city of Corcyra by the Goths, who had forced the population to abandon the ancient city and to settle on the rocky promontory with its two peaks. The Byzantines fortified one of the two peaks, the one that in Venetian times was named 'Castel Vecchio' or 'Castel a Mare'. Later the Venetians fortified the other, peak called 'Castel Nuovo' or 'Castel a Terra'. Between the 6th and 13th centuries the town of Corfu lay within the walls of the fortress. In the 15th century the Venetians replaced the old fortifications. They built bastions, winding galleries and tunnels. They also erected buildings to house the military and political authorities. These bastions are considered masterpieces of military engineering.

A small harbor called Mandracchio built in the 15th century on the northern side of the fortress, used by Venetians galleys as an anchorage. In the depression between the wall of the Esplanade and the western bastions of the Old Fortress an artificial canal, Contrafossa, served as a sea moat to it.

On the open space at the foot of the peak named 'Castel a Terra' stands the church of St. George, built in 1840 by the British in Doric style. The church turned over to the Orthodox cult at the end of the British Protectorate.

Just outside the Old Fortress stands the marble statue of the German Field Marshall Von Schulenburg, erected by the Venetian Senate during his lifetime in recognition of his gallant defense of the city during the last great siege by the Turks in 1716. The statue once stood inside the Old Fortress but was removed during the British Protectorate to its present position.

The large Esplanade in front of the Fortress was planned by the Venetians as an open space between the Fortress and the town proper. It was the rule when building fortifications to distance the houses from the fort. This space is approximately the firing range of a gun of the period.

Today, the Venetian walls as well as the additional fortifications built by the British can still be seen in the Old Fortress.
However, most of the surviving buildings date from the period of British rule."

MORE PHOTOS FROM KERKYRA

bobocortis, bema, abulafia, Gerrit, npecanhuk, Longroute, dareco, emilbo, elendim, ALIRIZA, mark_mk, gracious, JCG, Vames, stelli, ribeiroantonio, kpav, argycon, azaf1, syrus_persia, carper, Dyerco, Emile, chirasak, tpstrek has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

bobocortis (14114) 2008-11-10 6:10

Hello Hercules.
The reflections on the sea of this greek fortress are wonderful. The sky is amazing too and I like the nice perspective from a well-chosen pov.
Best regards.
Bobo.

dta (4308) 2008-11-10 6:16

Hi Hercules ,
What a nice shot ! The clarity is exceptionnal , as the sharpness . Your POV on this intersting place is really well choosen , and the tonalities are beautiful .
Bravo
Denis

abulafia (4802) 2008-11-10 6:20

Hi Hercules
The wonderful blue sky really caught the eye between the other thumbnails!
Impressive fortress, must have been a frightening place to approach as enemy in its heyday.
Harry

Gerrit (35423) 2008-11-10 6:28

Hi Hercules,
the colors, the composition and the definition are fantastic.
A remarkable and beautiful island under a fabulous sky/
Regards, Gerrit

npecanhuk (12987) 2008-11-10 6:31

Hello Hercules!
The fortress looks interesting and beautiful!
Your photo has natural and wonderful colors, perfect brightness and very good sharpness!
The sky and the water around are also great highlights!
TFS - Congratulations!
Warmest regards,
Neyvan

JLG (2086) 2008-11-10 6:50

Hello Hercules
assez impressionnante cette forteresse de bord de mer
un bon cadrage et un bon POV
well done
jean louis

Longroute (8861) 2008-11-10 7:00

Hello Hercules,

Another splendid and bright view of this old fortress in Corfù, but from an unusual POV. The day was glorious and you had a wonderful sky and calm transparent water: ideal conditions! I think this series of yours about Corfù is as much informative and interesting to know this place as fine and atractive. The colours are intense but natural and the whole image is full of light.
Thank you for posting,
Donato

TGULUMSER (12410) 2008-11-10 7:25

Hello Hercules,
An interesting place and a magnificent view. The sky is wonderful and the color of the sea is nice, too,
Best regards,
Tulay

dareco (17024) 2008-11-10 7:25

Very nice composition and beautiful colors, I especially like the many different tones in the water. Good lighting and pov. Another interesting post. TFS

emilbo (9113) 2008-11-10 8:34

Salut Hercules!
Merci de nous montrer ce belle photo de la vieille forteresse avec une excellente qualité d'image. Superbe présentation et merveilleuses couleurs. Très intéressante note historique.
Bravo!... et merci de partager,
Emilius

elendim (1677) 2008-11-10 8:55

Γεια σου Ηρακλη!
Εξεραιτικα χρωματα και ευκρινεια οπως παντα!
Ομορφες αντανακλασεις στο νερο και υπεροχος ουρανος!

Ελενα!

ALIRIZA (16195) 2008-11-10 9:43

Hi Hercules ,
What can I say this marvelous shot?... Suoerb landscape with good colours, sharpness and amazing sky. Well done my dear friend...
Best wishes...
Ali Rıza

mark_mk (246) 2008-11-10 9:53

Hi Hercules,
this is very lovely! The colors, the relfections and your POV, everything is top notch, I like the branches in the bottom left corner to create depth and also thanks for your informative note! Very good work, as usual!

Take care
Mark

gracious (20017) 2008-11-10 10:14

Hello Hercules,
Thank you for this excellent view on the fortress which is a island, just awesome!
the colour contrast is really beautiful with great sharpness, and nice details over it!
many thanks for sharing
take care and regards
Tony

JCG (24791) 2008-11-10 11:03

Hi again Hercules,

Superb point of view on this fortress here, I like much the depth of the image and the very beautiful colors of the landscape. The beautiful clouds give a relief really appreciable. A photograph interesting very as much as your note thank you Hercules.

Warm regards and with soon,

Jean-Charles

stelli (2939) 2008-11-10 11:56

One of the loveliest "corners" of the city of Corfu captured as it looks on a wonderful clear day! The POV is excellent to show almost everything this place can offer! Thank you for sharing! ΦΙΛΙΚΑ Στέλλα

hatti52 (12654) 2008-11-10 12:01

Hi Hercules
excellent clearity and quality
beautiful colours and depth
regards

ribeiroantonio (21723) 2008-11-10 19:47

Everything is nice in here. But it is the sky what caught my eye. I really like the different hues of blue, from the light in the centre left to the deep on top right. Also, the colours on the water are terrific. Well done.
Antonio

kpav (5131) 2008-11-10 20:47

Γεια σου Ηρακλή, πανέμορφη εικόνα με υπέροχα χρώματα και αντανακλάσεις του εντυπωσιακού κάστρου και έναν καταπληκτικό ουρανό. Σε χαιρετώ,
Κώστας.

argycon (2749) 2008-11-10 23:08

Geia sou Irakli,
Eksairitiki parousiasi aftou tou panemorfou merous. Xrwmata yperoxa! kai poly mou aresei o ouranos.
tfs
Kostas

bema (8423) 2008-11-11 0:45

Kalimera Hercules,

looks a bit like a very fine painting, fine picture with real good colors and a fantastic depth..
Poli kala fotografia..

Yassou Bernd

azaf1 (15541) 2008-11-11 1:22

Geia sou file
Idiaitera omorfi h gonia lipsis kai h emfasi stin gonia tou kastrou. O ouranos perifimos kai h antanaklasi poli kali, an kai tha mou areze na einai megaliteri
kali sou mera
Argiris

syrus_persia (2110) 2008-11-11 3:20

Doroud Hercules
Amazing colors in this beautiful composition photo. Excellent job.

regards

cyrus

carper (63998) 2008-11-11 3:46

marvelous photo Hercules,
good pov here from the fort, very nice details and a good contrast a pleasure to look at, I like it my friend, have a nice day.
regard jaap

Dyerco (8850) 2008-11-11 7:51

Hi Hercules
Great POV that shows the fort more or less in its entirety. Good colour and clarity but I would expect nothing less from the Mark 1DS and an L glass lens.
Phil

Emile (19785) 2008-11-11 10:19

Hola Hércules.
Me gustan mucho tus fotos por los detalles bien definidos que consigues en ellas además de que son muy buenas todas. Esta es un ejemplo de lo que digo como también fue la anterior de la casa de piedra, hay una nitidez en ellas que me llama mucho la atención, y ni hablar de los fantásticos colores, POV, definición y composición.
Estuve leyendo en tu perfil sobre tu nuevo trabajo desde principios de este año, te deseo el mayor de los éxitos.
Abrazos.

delkoo (33904) 2008-11-11 12:30

hi hercules
A simple shot of a simple subject,but so effective.It`s an excellent exposure with fantastic colors and contrast.
ta leme
didier

chirasak (575) 2008-11-11 23:13

็็็Hello Hercules
i have a look your profile there are so many beautiful pictures, you are excellent photographer i can see, this one is also very nice picture and your note is so informative, you have a nice cloud blue sky, post of view is wonderful, any good seggestion for me to make beautiful picture? :)
nice shot TFS

Regards
Chirasak

COSTANTINO (22167) 2008-11-15 4:23

Geia sou Hrakli,

Mia entupwsiaki foto enos xaraktiristikou shmeiou anaforas thw Kerkyras me katapliktika xrwmata,POV,kai omorfes antanaklaseis,
Sugxaritiria,
Me filikous xairetismous,

Costantino

meltemi (9744) 2008-11-15 4:36

Hello Hercules,
the fortress makes an excellent photo subject, but the real star in this photo for me is the magnificent light that casts a golden glow over the scene and accentuates the details of the stone wall and of the splendid sea really nicely. The reflection has been very well incorporated in this pleasant photo.
All the best.
Stella

tpstrek (1829) 2008-11-24 3:38

Kalimera Hercules,
Beautiful composition with a beautiful blue and cloudy sky and wonderful reflections in the calm sea.
When I would visit Kerkyra again, I would go to the northern side of the fortres to the bar/restaurant near the Mandrakiharbour where they serve the BEST frappée.
Regards,
Henri