Spianada

The Spianada (Greek: Σπιανάδα, pronounced [spi.aˈna.ða], "esplanade") is a large square in the city of Corfu, Greece. It is the largest square in Greece and is located in front of the Old Fortress of the city of Corfu.

The Spianada is divided into two sections: the Upper Square (Pano Plateia) and the Lower Square (Kato Plateia). The Upper Square is adorned with architectural gems like the Maitland Monument, the Venetian fountain, the Music Pavilion or "Palko" and the monument commemorating the Union of the Ionian Islands with Greece. The Lower Square is dominated by the cricket pitch.

History

The square's name derives from the Venetian word for "open flat area", during the four centuries of Venetian rule in the island of Corfu.

Its final construction dates back to the temporary French occupation of the Ionian islands and Corfu during the Napoleonic Wars.^[1]

Spianada in 1895

The "cricket court", a large park area, occupies a large section of the square. The love of the city inhabitants for cricket is of British origin, from the period of British domination (1814-1864).

It is one of the most central and popular sites of the city and a tourist destination.