Ionian Bank Building

The building of the Ionian Bank is located on Nikiforos Theotokis St, in Agios Spyridon Square (Heroes of the Cypriot Struggle Square). Built in 1846, it is a two-storey building with elements of the English Palladian architecture whose construction was based on plans drawn up by the Corfiot architect, Ioannis Chronis. The ground floor bears carved stones at its base and arched openings. The other two floors bear Ionic columns on their facade, a temple-like pediment and large rectangular openings. It has been declared a monument deserving special state protection under Ministerial Decision No. 1967/21-8-1963 - Government Gazette 382/Β/29-8-1963. The Ionian Bank operated as a financial institution, as it was established when Corfu was under British rule/British protection. Since 1864, the Ionian Bank had been operating within the framework of the Greek state and acquired the privilege to issue and distribute banknotes. This privilege was inherited by the Ionian State and continued to exist until 1920. Since then and over the course of many years, the Ionian Bank gradually declined and in 1975, the building passed into the hands of the Greek State. Since 1981, the Banknote Museum of the Ionian Bank has been housed on the building’s first floor.