The Town Hall

Near the Esplanade (Spianada Square) in Evgeniou Voulgareos street, stands the most elegant of the Venetians buildings. This building, which today is the Town Hall, was first built between 1663 and 1691 as a club for the officers of the Venetian fleet and was used as a meeting place ('Loggia') for members of the aristocracy.

It is built in Renaissance style of hard limestone quarried near the village of Sinies, in the north of the island. The emblem of Corfu, an ancient sailing vessel, appears over the entrance door facing the square. On the eastern wall is a marble fresco representing Francesco Morosini, the Venetian admiral and later Doge, who defeated the Turks in the Peloponnese. The four children's figure around him symbolize his virtues.

In 1720 the building was converted to a theatre, which was named 'San Giacomo', due to the nearby Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. James (San Giacomo). Since then is closely linked to the history of the theatre in Greece, and especially in the Ionian Islands. From 1733 it became an important center in Europe for lyric presentations. During that period an extension to the original building was added,'Aggiunta', which was demolished in 1903.

In the early 20th century a new theatre was built in Corfu town and the 'Loggia' was converted into a Town Hall.