Byzantine Museum of Antivouniotissa, Corfu

The Byzantine Museum of Antivouniotissa in Corfu offers visitors a rare opportunity to step into one of the island’s oldest and best-preserved churches, while also exploring centuries of sacred art. Housed in the Church of the Virgin Antivouniotissa, which dates back to the late 15th century, the museum is set on a hillside in Corfu Town, giving it both historical depth and a striking setting. The church itself, with its tall stone walls, wooden ceiling, and traditional Ionian architecture, has been carefully maintained, preserving the atmosphere of a bygone era. It is an important monument in its own right, but since its transformation into a museum in 1984, it has become one of the most significant cultural landmarks on the island.

Inside, visitors encounter a remarkable collection of post-Byzantine religious art, spanning from the 15th to the 19th centuries. The museum showcases icons painted by both local Corfiot artists and renowned members of the Cretan School, who found refuge on the island following the fall of Crete to the Ottomans. These works highlight Corfu’s unique role as a meeting point of Eastern Orthodox and Western artistic traditions. Alongside the icons, there are ecclesiastical objects, manuscripts, and fragments of frescoes, each helping to illuminate the religious and cultural life of Corfu during the Venetian period and beyond.

The museum not only preserves these treasures but also tells the story of Corfu as a crossroads of faith and art. For visitors, it offers a serene and contemplative space, where centuries-old icons glow in the subdued light of the church’s interior. The combination of architectural authenticity and artistic heritage makes the Byzantine Museum of Antivouniotissa an essential stop for those seeking to understand the spiritual and cultural history of Corfu.