The Ministry of Culture is exploring the restoration prospects of the British Hospital located in the Old Fortress of Corfu, aiming to host cultural uses as part of a research program conducted in collaboration with the National Technical University of Athens. Despite being situated within a significant monument, this building has been abandoned for decades.

The research program consists of two phases. The first phase involves recognizing and documenting the monument regarding its architecture and construction, load-bearing structure, pathology, and strategic exploration of integrating cultural uses while formulating alternative architectural directions for the restoration and enhancement of the building and its surrounding area. Additionally, immediate protection measures will be proposed. The second phase will include the planning of the proposed cultural uses of the British Hospital and its environment, along with a strategic management plan for the broader fortress environment.

A Historic Building with a Turbulent Past

The British Hospital was constructed during the period of British rule to care for the English army. The building is developed symmetrically, featuring innovative construction technology for its time, characterized by simplicity and austerity. During World War I, it was used by the English and their allies for the care and transport of wounded soldiers. In 1940, the hospital’s administration was handed over to the Greek army. A year later, when the island fell to the Italians, it was used as a military hospital and headquarters for the occupying forces. The execution site and records from the Italian era indicate that some rooms of the hospital were used as torture chambers for suspects and members of resistance organizations. The hospital was damaged during the bombing on September 14, 1943, by the Germans. After World War II, it was renovated by the Greek army to operate again as a military hospital. Eventually, army services were established there, and in the following years, it functioned successively as a reserve officer school, a recruit training center, and an administrative building until the early 1980s, when it was abandoned. Today, the building belongs to the Ministry of Culture, which designated it as a modern monument in 2020.

Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni described the project as very important, noting that it is part of the overall management plan of the Ministry of Culture for the Old Town of Corfu, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. “The restoration of the monumental building of the British Hospital is included in the proposals of the Management Plan for the Fortresses of Corfu, completed in 2022. In this context, the Ministry of Culture is carrying out the restoration of the ‘Seven Winds’ Bastion, which concerns the stabilization and restoration of the southern wall of the New Fortress. At the same time, work is ongoing to stabilize the dilapidated parts of the rocky slopes of the Old Fortress. These two projects, with a total budget of €3,600,000, are scheduled for completion by the end of 2025 and are funded by the Ministry of Culture using resources from the Recovery Fund. As Corfu is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country, our goal is to harmoniously integrate its monuments into the many attractions of the island. We want our monuments to gain new life and new uses, fully integrated into the daily lives of residents and visitors,” she added.