Palace of St. Michael and St. George

The impressive neoclassical building was built in the 19 th century (1819-1823) during British rule in the Ionian islands, under Sir Thomas Maitland (1759-1824), the first High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands. The building was designed by British Army engineer and architect Sir George Whitmore (1775-1862) and is made of Maltese tufa. In 1864, following the Union of the Ionian Islands with Greece, it became property of the Greek state and today houses the Museum of Asian Art.​ The palace comprises a central three-storey p-shaped building which connects to two side wings through an outer Doric peristyle. Two gates surround the building, the gate of St. Michael and the gate of St. George. The main entrance leads to the ground floor which includes a magnificent staircase leading to the first floor where the monumental halls of the Order of St. Michael and St. George are housed. The permanent exhibitions of the museum are showcased in these halls. The exhibition extends to the second floor of the building.