Byzantine Museum of Antivouniotissa

The Byzantine Museum of Antivouniotissa is a museum of post-Byzantine religious art located in Corfu Town, on the island of Corfu in the Ionian Islands Region of Greece. Housed in the former Church of the Holy Mother of God Antivouniotissa, the institution holds one of the most significant collections of Cretan and early Heptanese school icons in the country. Its particular significance lies in its function as a rare "church-museum," where artworks are displayed within their original liturgical setting, offering an authentic context for understanding five centuries of Orthodox religious artistic expression from the 15th through the 19th centuries.

The church itself was probably built at the end of the 15th century, making it one of the oldest surviving religious monuments on Corfu. For centuries it remained private property of the founding families: the Mylonopoulos, Alamanos, Rizikaris and Skarpas. In 1979, the descendants of these families donated the church and its rich collection of heirlooms and portable icons to the Greek state, on the condition that it become a museum. After urgently needed restoration work to address major structural problems, the museum was inaugurated in 1984 by Melina Merkouri, then Minister of Culture. A second, final phase of restoration was completed in June 1994, when the Antivouniotissa recovered what was described as its former majesty and grandeur, and its new display was opened. Further restoration work took place in 2000.

The museum's collection comprises approximately 90 icons and numerous liturgical objects, including vestments, candelabra, goldsmith work, and decorative elements. The holdings span from the 15th to the 19th century, with some sources extending the range to the 20th century, thus covering five to six centuries of religious artistic production. The collection is particularly strong in works from the Cretan School and the early Heptanese School, reflecting Corfu's role as a crucial stopping point and place of residence for artists traveling from Crete to Venice, especially after the Ottoman conquest of Crete in 1669. This movement of artists and artistic trends, combined with Orthodox doctrine, Byzantine survivals, and direct Western contact, produced a distinctive high-quality aesthetic. The display was organized with careful attention to chronological, iconographical and stylistic characteristics, incorporating not only the church's own icons but also the larger part of the old icon collection from the Museum of Asian Art of Corfu.

The collection includes important works by both known and anonymous artists. Named masters represented include Nicholas Tzafouris, Michael Damaskinos, Emmanuel Lambardos, Emmanuel Tzanes, Victor Avramis, Michael Avramis, and Theodore Poulakis. A specifically identified work is "Saints Sergius and Bacchus and Saint Justina of Padua" by Michael Damaskinos, a 16th-century piece. The range of artists demonstrates the full spectrum of religious artistic expression across the Cretan and Heptanese schools, from Byzantine-influenced works to those showing stronger Western stylistic elements.

The Church of the Holy Mother of God Antivouniotissa, whose name means "facing the mountain," is an aisleless, timber-roofed basilica located in the historic Kampielo district of Corfu's Old Town, in the Mouragia area overlooking the sea near the Old Port. Its most distinctive architectural feature is the exonarthex, which envelopes the church on three of its four sides, a characteristic of Corfiote churches of the period. The exterior is plain, with arched doorways and windows, its only decorative element being a dentilated cornice. The bell-tower, with arched openings at the top, rises in the open courtyard at the east end of the monument. The interior presents a striking contrast: the nave retains features of the Heptanesian Basilica type, including high pews, painted "wall-paper" on the walls, and a decorated ceiling (ourania) divided into coffers with elegant gilded wood-carvings. The stone iconostasis is a later addition. Particularly notable are the stone paving slabs in the nave and exonarthexes, the majority of which are tombstones bearing incised or relief names and coats-of-arms of noblemen, leading clerics, and distinguished Corfiote personalities buried there, intimately linking the monument with the island's history.

The museum is located approximately 10 minutes from Spianada Square in Corfu's Old Town, accessible via line 2 of the Corfu KTEL bus with disembarkation at the Spianada Square stop. It operates under the Ephorate of Antiquities of Corfu. Opening hours are from 08:30 to 15:30, closed on Tuesdays, with the same schedule maintained year-round according to available sources, though some sources suggest seasonal variation with extended summer hours. The church maintains its worshipping character, hosting liturgical services twice annually on December 26 and August 23, occasions related to the Mother of God. Admission is ticketed, with general admission at 4 or 5 euros and reduced rates at 2 or 3 euros depending on source; free admission applies for young people up to 18. A shared ticket of 14 euros (7 euros reduced) covers multiple attractions including the Archaeological Museum, Old Fortress, Antivouniotissa Museum, Museum of Asian Art, and Paleopolis (Mon Repos) Museum. Free entry days include 6 March (in memory of Melina Mercouri), 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October, and every first Sunday from November to March. Visitors are advised to dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered. Contact: telephone +30 26610 38313.