Corfu's New Fortress Scarpon

The Scarpon is a part of the New Fortress in the city of Corfu, Greece. The New Fortress is one of the town's key defenses, located on the rocky hill of St. Mark in the northwestern part of the city. The New Fortress was built by the Venetians between 1576 and 1578 as an addition to the city’s defenses. It was created to protect the western side of the town and was named "New" to tell it apart from the older fort. The Scarpon is a horn-shaped fort that was added to the main structure of the New Fortress to make it stronger. Its walls still show carvings, including the winged lion of St. Mark, which was the symbol of Venice. The Scarpon and the New Fortress were very important in the island’s history. They helped defend the town during the big Ottoman siege in 1716. Today, the New Fortress is open for people to visit. It features barracks built by the British, powder kegs, and tunnels. #mediterranean