1 Mar
Mon Repos Palace
Mon Repos Palace
The Palace of Mon Repos was built in 1826 for the British Commissioner Frederik Adams who gave it as a gift to his Corfiot wife, Nina Palatianou. In 1864 when the Ionian Islands were united to Greece, Mon Repos was offered to the Greek royal family who used it as their summer residence for over hundred years. An interesting but perhaps little known fact is that Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh and husband of Queen Elisabeth II of the United Kingdom was born at Mon Repos Palace in 1921! Today, Mon Repos Palace belongs to the municipality of Corfu and houses the museum of Paleopolis.
Mon Repos Palace and grounds are located on the site of the ancient city of Corfu: Paleopolis. The remains of a number of temples can be seen in the grounds and many of the ancient artefacts found in the area are now housed in the museum. Displays also cover the Roman period, focusing on the nearby Roman baths with its mosaic floor, as well as covering the Byzantine period and the more recent history of life in the Palace itself. Visitors walk through rooms restored to their former glory, containing period furniture and dresses. There are also paintings of Corfu, as well as botanical samples representing the natural heritage of Corfu and the Mon Repos gardens.
The grounds of the Mon Repos estate are also an attraction. They are filled with a wide range of trees and other plants and flowers and offer opportunities for beautiful shaded walks. Pathways lead down to a sheltered bay, with stunning views out across the straits to Albania. Here visitors can also discover the ruins of a temple to the Goddess Hera, dating from the seventh century BC, as well as the remains of a small Christian chapel.
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