Corfu’s recent history
Corfu was under Venetian rule for 400 years. This is when buildings, monuments and other constructions were built, becoming the symbols of Venetian architecture in Greece. When Napoleon conquered Venice, Corfu became part of the French State. In 1799, the allied fleet of the Turks, the Russians and the English disembarked on the island of Corfu and conquered the entire island. The Ionian State was established but in 1807, Corfu returned under French domination.
The period that followed was a period of prosperity with many agricultural and social improvements. It was then that the Ionian Academy was founded, public services were reorganized and schools were built.
In 1815, the English seized Corfu. Under English rule the Greek language became official, new roads were built, the water supply system was improved and the first Greek University was founded in 1824. Although Corfu was never under the control of the Turks, its inhabitants helped financially the rest of Greece during the Greek Revolution.
On 21st of May, 1864, the Ionian Islands were handed to the new King of Greece. In the 20th century, Corfu took part in the two World Wars and suffered great damages. In fact, the Ionian Academy, the Public Library and the Municipal Theatre were burnt and totally destroyed by German bombing in 1943 but they were then restored.