Saint Spyridon church

The church of St. Spyridon, the patron saint of the island, is located in the centre of Corfu town. It is considered to be a post-Byzantine monument featuring artworks created by prominent artists, and a benchmark of the island’s religious life in modern times. The church was built between 1589 and 1594 during Venetian rule and was restored in 1670. It is a single-aisled basilica featuring a wooden roof and an impressive bell tower of great height. The latter was built in 1590 and is similar to the one of St. George of the Greeks in Venice. Inside the church, the visitor can admire its ceiling (the ‘ourania’) which features icons originally painted by Panagiotis Doxaras in 1727. In the 19th century, these paintings were replaced by copies painted by the Corfiot painter Nikolaos Aspiotis. The church also hosts artworks created by the prominent Cretan painter of the 17th century, Emmanouel Tzanes Bounialis and by the Corfiot painter Spyridon Sperantzas (1772). The marble iconostasis, along with the marble pulpit, was constructed in 1864 and features icons created by the Corfiot painter Spyridonas Prosalentis. The luxurious silver shrine of Saint Spyridon, which was created in Vienna (1867), is considered to be a valuable relic of the church. The church celebrates on 12 December and also on important dates all year round in remembrance of the miracles of St. Spyridon, namely on Palm Sunday, on Holy Saturday (the Saint saved the island from famine), on 11 August (the saint saved the island from the Ottoman attack) and on the first Sunday of November (the island was saved from the plague).