Corfu MP Dimitris Biagkis Calls for Relocation of Laiki Agora from Historic New Fortress Area
Corfu, May 24 – Dimitris Biagkis, Secretary of the PASOK – KINAL Parliamentary Group and Member of Parliament for Corfu, has raised a parliamentary question to the Minister of Culture regarding the restoration and enhancement of the historic Sarandaris Bastion and the main trench of the New Fortress’s western land front. Biagkis specifically requests the removal of the Laiki Agora (Farmers’ Market) from this monumental environment and its relocation to a more appropriate site.
The Historical Significance of the New Fortress
The New Fortress of Corfu, constructed in the late 16th century by the Venetians, was a crucial part of the city’s fortification system. By the first half of the 18th century, a new defensive line had been established, isolating Corfu town from the countryside and the sea. Located near the commercial port, the New Fortress is one of Greece’s most significant and well-preserved examples of 16th-19th century fortification architecture.
To the west, the two bastions of the ‘Six and Seven Winds’ were built, connected by an intervening wall. In 1843, the barracks were constructed on the upper level of the fortress.
Restoration Efforts and Ongoing Concerns
A project for the restoration of the southern wall of the ‘Seven Winds’ Bastion involved documenting its existing condition, recording deterioration and damage, and proposing necessary works. Due to natural and anthropogenic factors that have negatively impacted the monument over time, the restoration of the collapsed section of the wall was deemed urgent. This effort aimed to return the monument, a key landmark of Corfu’s Old Town, to the local community and visitors.
The project, with a total budget exceeding 2.5 million euros, commenced in May 2023 and was expected to be completed by the end of the previous year. However, despite the elapsed construction period (beyond December 31, 2025), significant earthworks appear to remain unfinished. Five months later, there is no clear information on whether the project has been completed, if a completion certificate has been issued, or when it is expected to be definitively handed over to the local community.
Furthermore, the Ephorate of Antiquities had previously announced that the ongoing contract at the ‘Seven Winds’ Bastion would extend to the recently damaged ‘Six Winds’ Bastion, aiming for its full restoration after a partial collapse. While temporary support measures were taken, the substantive restoration of this bastion remains pending, requiring further study, funding, and a clear timeline for implementation.
A Deteriorated Landscape: The Laiki Agora’s Impact
Today, the area between the southern horn of Scarpone and the Sarandaris Bastion presents a disheartening and degraded picture. It is an abandoned construction site, a dumping ground for waste, and an area suffering from aesthetic and functional depreciation. A building located within the main trench of the western fortifications serves no essential purpose, brutally offending one of the most historic sites not only in Corfu but in all of Europe. This structure lacks any functional compatibility with the monumental space, making its expropriation and definitive removal the only viable solution.
This area is not merely an old military work; it is a place of sacrifice, where the most critical moments of the Ottoman siege of Corfu in 1716 unfolded. This historic victory was not only locally significant but also influenced the balance of power across Europe. Here, the city’s defenders held their ground against the Ottoman army, preventing attackers from descending from Scarpone and encircling the defenders fighting on the outer lines of defense. It was here that a victory, written in blood, had immense repercussions throughout Europe.
Call for Comprehensive Intervention and Relocation
Instead of pursuing a comprehensive and rational intervention for the overall restoration of the counterscarp of the main trench – the only surviving part of the western fortifications after the British redesign of the defense plan – the local municipality is proceeding with piecemeal interventions. These include the installation of new railings on the edge of the British counterscarp, aiming to address decades of neglect, accumulated waste, and uncontrolled vegetation due to lack of access. Such an approach, however, risks altering the monument’s character with modern solutions.
For the main trench and the Sarandaris Bastion, the state’s ultimate goal should not be the perpetual presence of waste disposal areas, shacks, makeshift structures, and parking lots. Instead, it should be the substantive promotion of such a historically charged site. This cannot be achieved without relocating the Laiki Agora from the monumental environment to a more suitable location. The historic monument should be returned to citizens and visitors as an organized pedestrian area, with discreet paving, highlighting its fortification morphology, and clear signage. Furthermore, the creation of a commemorative monument or obelisk in honor of the defenders who fell defending Corfu and European values is proposed, utilizing the commendable donation from the Corfu Heritage Foundation.
Parliamentary Questions to the Minister of Culture
MP Biagkis poses several critical questions to the Minister of Culture:
- Has the contractual object of the project “Stabilization and Restoration of the ‘Seven Winds’ Bastion in the New Fortress of Corfu” been completed? Have the foreseen works been finalized, has the relevant completion certificate been issued, and has the project been delivered, or are works (such as earthworks) still pending despite the expiration of the execution deadline?
- What is the Ministry’s plan for the ‘Six Winds’ Bastion, as it has not been fully restored after the collapse of a section, and its definitive restoration remains pending despite temporary support?
- Is it the Ministry’s intention, in cooperation with relevant local authorities, to initiate procedures for the expropriation and removal of the building located within the main trench of the western fortifications, which brutally offends this historic site and lacks functional compatibility with the monumental area?
- Is it the Ministry’s intention, in cooperation with relevant local authorities, to proceed with a comprehensive and proper intervention to restore the counterscarp of the New Fortress’s main trench, as it is the only surviving part of the western fortifications?
- Is it the Ministry’s intention, in cooperation with relevant local authorities, to substantively highlight this historically significant area by relocating the Laiki Agora outside the monumental environment, thereby returning the historic monument to citizens and visitors as an organized pedestrian area with discreet paving, highlighting its fortification morphology, and clear signage?
- Is it the Ministry’s intention, in cooperation with relevant local authorities, to create a commemorative monument or obelisk in honor of the defenders who fell defending Corfu and European values, utilizing the commendable donation from the Corfu Heritage Foundation?
The MP emphasizes that the state’s primary goal should be the protection and promotion of the country’s monuments and the preservation of cultural heritage, as well as the harmonious integration of city monuments into the wider region’s attractions. Corfu, as one of the most popular tourist destinations and with its Old Town being a UNESCO World Heritage site, demands these actions to ensure its monuments gain new life and use, fully integrated into the daily lives of residents and visitors.
