Fort Wellington is one of three ruined fortresses on the island of Vido, in front of the east coast of central Corfu. The fortress is located in the southwest of the island, not far from the harbor. The other fortifications are Fort George and Fort Schulenburg.
The first defensive structures on Vido started to be built during the Venetian rule of Corfu. Under French rule, the existing fortifications were strengthened and expanded. Two new fortresses, called Napoleon’s Redoute and Signal Redoute, were built and connected to the existing fortifications by tunnels.
When the British took over the rule of the Ionian Islands, they demolished all the French buildings and constructed three new fortifications to replace the French ones. The defensive structures were designed by Lieutenant W. Worsley and were built in secret. Maps were even drawn incorrectly to deceive potential enemies.
Napoleon’s Redoute was replaced by the semicircular Fort Wellington, named after the Duke of Wellington in honor of his victory over Napoleon’s army at the Battle of Waterloo.
Like the other fortresses, Fort Wellington was never used. As part of the agreement of the Unification of the Ionian Islands with Greece of 1864, the fortress was blown up again. This is why only a part of the fortress remains today. The most visible part is the southern wall, in which a few prison cells are located. During the German occupation of World War II, the cells were used to detain political prisoners.
