The Ioannis Kapodistrias House is a historic mansion near the Gate of Saint Nicholas in the historic center of Corfu Town. It is the house where Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first President of modern Greece, was born.
The Ioannis Kapodistrias House was built on the site of an earlier mansion of the Kapodistrias family in 1840. The building was designed by the renowned Corfiote architect Ioannis Chronis and consists of four floors. Inside, an impressive marble staircase leads up to the upper floors. Outside the front door, an inscription at the entrance reminds us of the fact that Ioannis Kapodistrias was born there in 1776.
Under British rule, the mansion was used as the residence of the president of the Ionian Senate, and after the Unification of the Ionian Islands with Greece in 1864, it became the seat of the Prefecture. During World War II, the Italian forces used the building as a military office, but after the war, the Prefecture returned.
In 1977, the Ioannis Kapodistrias House was awarded to the Ionian University, which still uses the building as one of its locations. The building is not open to visitors but can be admired from the outside.
If you’re interested in learning more about the life of Ioannis Kapodistrias and his contributions to the foundation of the modern Greek state, you can also visit the Kapodistrias Museum.
