The Church of Saint Athanasius is a historic Greek Orthodox church in the Garitsa neighborhood of Corfu Town, a picturesque area marked by the Anemomylos Windmill and the nearby ruins of ancient Paleopolis.
The Garitsa area was once a suburb outside the walls of the new city that was founded during the Middle Ages after the old city of Paleopolis was destroyed and abandoned. During the Byzantine era, Christianity quickly spread and several new churches were erected in this area.
The Church of Saint Athanasius is thought to have been built in 1498, and excavations have revealed that it was constructed on top of massive stone blocks that formed the foundations of a defense tower of the Alkinoos Harbor of Paleopolis.
In the 18th century, the church was renovated and extended with a two-story adjacent building and a belfry, but only part of the extensions still exist today. Inside the church, you can admire fresco paintings dating back to the 17th century. Above the western entrance door, you can see a marble slab with a relief dating back to the 11th or 12th century. The stone was installed after it was brought there from the Church of the Saints Jason and Sostipator.
