Agia Ekaterini church is unrecognisable!

This is the completion of the ‘Restoration and elevation of the Agia Ekaterini Complex’ sub-project, which involves the implementation of a building restoration project for the interior and exterior of the building, as well as the addition of all the necessary mechanical installations for its re-use.



(Photo from 2016)
 

Historical data
 
The whole building of Agia Ekaterini (the church and the three-storey house) is located in the Corfu Old Town. It became the property of the Corfu Municipality in accordance with Article 15 of the Law ‘On the distribution of Corfu property’.
 
According to the available historical data, the Agia Ekaterini church was built at the end of the 17th century by the clergy Nikodimos Karofylaktos on land owned by him and at his own expense. It was renovated on 25 November 1690 by Christodoulos Voulgaris. According to the owner's wish, which was expressed in his will drawn up on 23 March 1704, the building housed a male monastery.
 
The Agia Ekaterini church, together with the buildings used by the monastery, were constructed in different periods. The church building is, of course, the most remarkable, but the whole complex is one of the most important monuments of Corfu Town.
 
 
Preparation of the study & funding
 
The study was prepared by the Corfu Municipal services (Old Town Department) and the project was funded by the Public Investment Programme of the Ionian Islands Region, with a budget of €1,814,600.

 
Implementation of the project
 
By decision of the Central Archaeological Council, the project was put out to tender and implemented by the Ministry of Culture and Sports Department for Renovation of Byzantine and Poet-Byzantine Monuments, through a Programme Agreement signed between the Corfu Municipality, the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Ionian Islands Region.
 
The Act includes five sub-projects:

1. Acquisition of ground floor warehouses.

It has been completed.

2. Restoration of the Agia Aikaterini complex.

It is in progress. Τhe contract was signed on 29 August 2018 and is expected to be completed by 31 December 2021.

3. Rescue archaeological research, excavations and conservation of the iconostasis, other wood carvings and relics of the Agia Ekaterini church.

It is in progress, with the Corfu Inspectorate of Antiquities as the implementing body, it concerns exclusively the church building and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2022.

4. Purchase of equipment

It is in progress, with the Central Corfu and Diapontia Islands Municipality as implementing body, it concerns the equipment for the use of the building and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2022.

5. Connection to public utility networks

It is in progress and will be completed, along with the first sub-project by 31 December 2021.


Meropi Ydraiou’s inspection
          
Mayor Meropi Ydraiou, who visited the church on Monday along with Deputy Mayor for Technical Works Nikos Kalogeros and the project's supervising architect - engineer, expressed her satisfaction with the work’s progress. She also mentioned that the temple, which had deteriorated over time, is fully restored.


 
She added that “This monument is a symbol of the religious and cultural heritage of the island, a typical example of Corfu's 17th century architecture and is linked to the tradition and history of the Corfu Old Town.
 
With the completion of the works, the church will become functional and accessible to local residents and visitors, regaining its monumental character – a monument that has been in a state of disrepair for decades.”
 

Use of the building
 
After the completion of the restoration work, the building will be used for cultural purposes such as temporary exhibitions, lectures, book presentations, etc., while it will also be possible to operate the Holy Church.