Lefkada (, ''Lefkáda'', ), also known as Lefkas or Leukas (
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...
and
Katharevousa
Katharevousa (, , literally "purifying anguage) is a conservative form of the Modern Greek language conceived in the late 18th century as both a literary language and a compromise between Ancient Greek and the contemporary vernacular, Demotic ...
: Λευκάς, ''Leukás'',
modern pronunciation ''Lefkás'') and Leucadia, is a
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
island
An island or isle is a piece of land, distinct from a continent, completely surrounded by water. There are continental islands, which were formed by being split from a continent by plate tectonics, and oceanic islands, which have never been ...
in the
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea (, ; or , ; , ) is an elongated bay of the Mediterranean Sea. It is connected to the Adriatic Sea to the north, and is bounded by Southern Italy, including Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily, and the Salento peninsula to the west, ...
on the west coast of Greece, connected to the mainland by a long
causeway
A causeway is a track, road or railway on the upper point of an embankment across "a low, or wet place, or piece of water". It can be constructed of earth, masonry, wood, or concrete. One of the earliest known wooden causeways is the Sweet T ...
and
floating bridge. The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is
Lefkada
Lefkada (, ''Lefkáda'', ), also known as Lefkas or Leukas (Ancient Greek and Katharevousa: Λευκάς, ''Leukás'', modern pronunciation ''Lefkás'') and Leucadia, is a Greece, Greek list of islands of Greece, island in the Ionian Sea on the ...
.
It is situated on the northern part of the island, approximately 25 minutes by automobile away from
Aktion National Airport
Aktion National Airport is an airport serving Preveza and Lefkada in Greece. It is also known as Preveza Airport. It is also used by NATO and Hellenic Air Force Command. The airport commenced operations in 1968.
History
In December 2015, the ...
. The island is part of the
regional unit of Lefkada.
Geography

Lefkada measures from north to south, and from east to west. The area of the island is about , the area of the municipality (including the islands
Kalamos
Kalamos (; ) is a Greek mythological figure. He is son of Maiandros, the god of the Maeander river.
Mythology
A story in Nonnus's ''Dionysiaca'' tells about the love of two youths, Kalamos and Karpos. Karpos drowned in the Meander river whil ...
,
Kastos
Kastos () is a Greek island and a former community east of the island of Lefkada, Ionian Islands, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lefkada, of which it is a municipal unit. Until 1974, when it became pa ...
and several smaller islets) is .
Its highest point is the mountain
Stavrota, at
above sea level
Height above mean sea level is a measure of a location's vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level. In geodesy, it is formalized as orthometric height. The zero level ...
,
situated in the middle of the island. The east coast section of the island has small
resorts
A resort (North American English) is a self-contained commercial establishment that aims to provide most of a vacationer's needs. This includes food, drink, swimming, accommodation, sports, entertainment and shopping, on the premises. A hotel ...
of
Lygia,
Nikiana and
Perigiali, all north of
Nidri
Nydri () is a town and a community on the eastern coast of the island of Lefkada, Greece. It is part of the municipal unit Ellomenos. The community includes the small village Rachi. The Greek National Road 42 ( Vasiliki - Lefkada (city) - Amfil ...
, the largest resort on the island. It is set in a sheltered location with views across to
Skorpios
Skorpios or Scorpios (, ) is a private island in the Ionian Sea off the western coast of Greece and just to the east of the island of Lefkada. The 2011 census reported a population of five inhabitants. Administratively it is part of the munici ...
(formerly owned by
Aristotle Onassis
Aristotle Socrates Onassis (, ; , ; 20 January 1906 – 15 March 1975) was a Greek and Argentine business magnate. He amassed the world's largest privately-owned shipping fleet and was one of the world's richest and most famous men. He was marri ...
),
Meganisi
Meganisi (Greek language, Greek: Μεγανήσι, literally "big island") is a Greece, Greek island and Communities and Municipalities of Greece, municipality immediately to the east-southeast of the island of Lefkada. The municipality includes t ...
and other small islands, as well as the Greek mainland. The main coastal road from Lefkada to Vasiliki runs through the village, although a bypass has now been completed which skirts the village to the west. There are regular car ferries to
Kefalonia
Kefalonia or Cephalonia (), formerly also known as Kefallinia or Kephallonia (), is the largest of the Ionian Islands in western Greece and the 6th-largest island in Greece after Crete, Euboea, Lesbos, Rhodes and Chios. It is also a separate regio ...
,
Ithaca and
Meganissi.
south of Nidri is the resort of
Vasiliki, a
windsurfing
Windsurfing is a wind-propelled water sport that is a combination of sailing and surfing. It is also referred to as "sailboarding" and "boardsailing", and emerged in the late 1960s from the Californian aerospace and surf culture. Windsurfing gain ...
center. There are ferries to Kefalonia and Ithaca from Vasiliki. South of Vasiliki is Cape Lefkada, where
Cephalus
Cephalus or Kephalos (; ) is the son of Hermes, husband of Eos and a hero-figure in Greek mythology. Cephalus carried as a theophoric name by historical persons. The root of this name is , meaning "head".
Mythological
* Cephalus, son of Hermes ...
and the
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
female poet
Sappho
Sappho (; ''Sapphṓ'' ; Aeolic Greek ''Psápphō''; ) was an Ancient Greek poet from Eresos or Mytilene on the island of Lesbos. Sappho is known for her lyric poetry, written to be sung while accompanied by music. In ancient times, Sapph ...
allegedly leapt to their death from the 30 m high cliffs on two separate occasions.
The famous beach of
Porto Katsiki is located on Lefkada's west coast. Lefkada was attached to mainland Greece (see below about Homer's Ithaca being Lefkada). The
Corinth
Corinth ( ; , ) is a municipality in Corinthia in Greece. The successor to the ancient Corinth, ancient city of Corinth, it is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Sin ...
ians dug a trench in the 7th century BC on its isthmus.
The southernmost tip of the island is called Cape Dukato, a name sometimes applied to the whole island.
Climate

The island has a typical
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
with hot summers and cool winters, or ''Csa'' according to the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system.
History
Antiquity
The island is linked to
Odysseus
In Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology, Odysseus ( ; , ), also known by the Latin variant Ulysses ( , ; ), is a legendary Greeks, Greek king of Homeric Ithaca, Ithaca and the hero of Homer's Epic poetry, epic poem, the ''Odyssey''. Od ...
, the hero of
Homer
Homer (; , ; possibly born ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Despite doubts about his autho ...
's Odyssey, who ruled it and neighboring islands from Ithaca. The
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
archaeologist
Wilhelm Dörpfeld
Wilhelm Dörpfeld (26 December 1853 – 25 April 1940) was a German architect and archaeologist, a pioneer of stratigraphy, stratigraphic excavation and precise graphical documentation of archaeological projects. He is famous for his work on B ...
, having performed excavations at various locations of Lefkada, was able to obtain funding to do work on the island by suggesting that Lefkada was
Homer's Ithaca
Ithaca (; , ) was, in Greek mythology, the island home of the hero Odysseus. The specific location of the island, as it was described in Homer's ''Odyssey'', is a matter for debate. There have been various theories about its location. Modern I ...
, and the
palace
A palace is a large residence, often serving as a royal residence or the home for a head of state or another high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome whi ...
of Odysseus was located west of
Nydri on the south coast of Lefkada. There have been suggestions by local tourism officials that several passages in the
Odyssey
The ''Odyssey'' (; ) is one of two major epics of ancient Greek literature attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest surviving works of literature and remains popular with modern audiences. Like the ''Iliad'', the ''Odyssey'' is divi ...
point to Lefkada as a possible model for Homeric Ithaca. The most notable of these passages pushed by the local tourism board describes Ithaca as an island reachable on foot, which was the case for Lefkada since it is not really an island, being connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway. According to
Strabo
Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...
, the coast of
Acarnania
Acarnania () is a region of west-central Greece that lies along the Ionian Sea, west of Aetolia, with the Achelous River for a boundary, and north of the gulf of Calydon, which is the entrance to the Gulf of Corinth. Today it forms the western part ...
was called Leucas in earlier times.
The ancient sources call Leucas a Corinthian colony, perhaps with a
Corcyra
Corfu ( , ) or Kerkyra (, ) is a Greece, Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands; including its Greek islands, small satellite islands, it forms the margin of Greece's northwestern frontier. The island is part of the Corfu (regio ...
en participation. There was a cult to Apollo Leucatos at the south western cape of the island, where white cliffs stand that may have given its name to the island. This was a site where criminals were thrown (hence "Leucadian trial") in order to judge their guilt or innocence from their injury at the fall. Furthermore, according to legend, it was the jumping spot of
Sappho
Sappho (; ''Sapphṓ'' ; Aeolic Greek ''Psápphō''; ) was an Ancient Greek poet from Eresos or Mytilene on the island of Lesbos. Sappho is known for her lyric poetry, written to be sung while accompanied by music. In ancient times, Sapph ...
when she committed suicide out of frustrated love and also that of
Artemisia of Caria, and therefore may have some connection to
Aphrodite
Aphrodite (, ) is an Greek mythology, ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, procreation, and as her syncretism, syncretised Roman counterpart , desire, Sexual intercourse, sex, fertility, prosperity, and ...
.
During the
Peloponnesian War
The Second Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC), often called simply the Peloponnesian War (), was an Ancient Greece, ancient Greek war fought between Classical Athens, Athens and Sparta and their respective allies for the hegemony of the Ancien ...
, Leucas joined the
Peloponnesian League
The Peloponnesian League () was an alliance of ancient Greek city-states, dominated by Sparta and centred on the Peloponnese, which lasted from c. 550 to 366 BC. It is known mainly for being one of the two rivals in the Peloponnesian War (431–4 ...
. Later, the town was conquered during the 3rd century BC by
Agathocles of Syracuse
Agathocles (, ''Agathoklḗs''; 361–289 BC) was a tyrant of Syracuse, Sicily, Syracuse from 317 BC and king of much of Sicily from 304 BC until his death. Agathocles began his career as a military officer, and raised his profile as a supp ...
and was annexed to the Roman Republic in the next century, during their conquest of Greece. The famous naval
battle of Actium
The Battle of Actium was a naval battle fought between Octavian's maritime fleet, led by Marcus Agrippa, and the combined fleets of both Mark Antony and Cleopatra. The battle took place on 2 September 31 BC in the Ionian Sea, near the former R ...
was fought not far away, to the north east.
In
medieval British legend,
Brutus of Troy
Brutus, also called Brute of Troy, is a mythical British king. He is described as a legendary descendant of the Trojan hero Aeneas, known in medieval British legend as the eponymous founder and first king of Britain. This legend first appears ...
found Lefkada abandoned after pirate attacks, and after offering a sacrifice to a statue of
Diana in the temple of a ruined city there, was granted a vision telling him to go to
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales
* The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...
and found an empire.
Middle Ages
Byzantine period
No information survives on the island during the early
Byzantine period
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...
, when the town possibly disappeared in the turmoils of the
Migration Period
The Migration Period ( 300 to 600 AD), also known as the Barbarian Invasions, was a period in European history marked by large-scale migrations that saw the fall of the Western Roman Empire and subsequent settlement of its former territories ...
. Nevertheless, unlike the Epirote mainland, where widespread
Slavic settlement is attested from the late 6th until mid-8th centuries, only a handful of traces attest to a Slavic settlement in Lefkada.
Information continues to be sparse during the middle Byzantine period. The island is attested as a bishopric at the
Fourth Council of Constantinople in 879, and was raised to archbishopric under Emperor
Leo VI the Wise
Leo VI, also known as Leo the Wise (; 19 September 866 – 11 May 912), was Byzantine Emperor from 886 to 912. The second ruler of the Macedonian dynasty (although his parentage is unclear), he was very well read, leading to his epithet. During ...
(). Administratively, it was likely part of the
Theme of Cephallenia.
Liutprand of Cremona visited the island during his 968 embassy to Constantinople. In 1099 it was raided by
Dagobert of Pisa, and it is mentioned in
al-Idrisi
Abu Abdullah Muhammad al-Idrisi al-Qurtubi al-Hasani as-Sabti, or simply al-Idrisi (; ; 1100–1165), was an Arab Muslim geographer and cartographer who served in the court of King Roger II at Palermo, Sicily. Muhammad al-Idrisi was born in C ...
's geography in the mid-12th century.
Epirote and Latin rule
The
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice, officially the Most Serene Republic of Venice and traditionally known as La Serenissima, was a sovereign state and Maritime republics, maritime republic with its capital in Venice. Founded, according to tradition, in 697 ...
was accorded privileges in the island in 1198 and possession of the island in the
treaty of partition
A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between sovereign states and/or international organizations that is governed by international law. A treaty may also be known as an international agreement, protocol, covenant, conventi ...
of the Byzantine Empire in 1204. Lefkada apparently became part of the
Despotate of Epirus
The Despotate of Epirus () was one of the Greek Rump state, successor states of the Byzantine Empire established in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204 by a branch of the Angelos dynasty. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the ...
, although this is not explicitly attested until 1259.
The name Santa Maura is first attested for the island and its capital in 1292, when Genoese ships in Byzantine employ raided it. In 1295, the
Despot of Epirus
The Despot of Epirus was the ruler of the Despotate of Epirus, one of the rump states of the Byzantine Empire in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade. The name "Despotate of Epirus" and the title "despot of Epirus" are modern historiographical name ...
Nikephoros I Komnenos Doukas ceded the island to his son-in-law, the
Count palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos
The County Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos existed from 1185 to 1479 as part of the Kingdom of Sicily. The title and the right to rule the Ionian islands of Cephalonia and Zakynthos was originally given to Margaritus of Brindisi for his ser ...
John I Orsini. Orsini soon after received permission from
Charles II of Naples
Charles II, also known as Charles the Lame (; ; 1254 – 5 May 1309), was King of Naples, Count of Provence and Forcalquier (1285–1309), Prince of Achaea (1285–1289), and Count of Anjou and Maine (1285–1290); he also was King of Albania ( ...
to build a castle there, which became the core of the
Castle of Santa Maura.

The Orsini family lost Lefkada in 1331 to
Walter VI of Brienne, who in 1343 ceded the ''castrum Sancte Maure'' and the island to the Venetian
Graziano Giorgio. In 1360/62,
Leonardo I Tocco
Leonardo I Tocco (died 1375/1377) was the count palatine of the islands of Cephalonia and Zakynthos from 1357 until his death, and later lord of Ithaca, Lefkada, and the port of Vonitsa as well.
He was the son of Guglielmo Tocco, the Angevin go ...
seized Lefkada, assuming the title of duke (''dux Lucate''), whence the island is sometimes also referred to as "the Duchy" (''el Ducato'' and variants thereof) in Western sources of the period. The local Orthodox archbishop was evicted. After
Albanian
Albanian may refer to:
*Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular:
**Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans
**Albanian language
**Albanian culture
**Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
clans took over much of Epirus in the 1350s and 1360s, they launched frequent attacks on the island between 1375 and 1395.
Carlo I Tocco () made the island the capital of his domains, which apart from the County palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos also included much of the Epirote mainland, and enlarged the fortified town.
In 1413, the
Prince of Achaea
The Prince of Achaea was the ruler of the Principality of Achaea, one of the crusader states Frankokratia, founded in Greece in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade (1202–1204). The principality witnessed various overlords during its more than tw ...
,
Centurione II Zaccaria, launched an attack on Lefkada and its castle with Albanian mercenaries, but were defeated with help from the
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice, officially the Most Serene Republic of Venice and traditionally known as La Serenissima, was a sovereign state and Maritime republics, maritime republic with its capital in Venice. Founded, according to tradition, in 697 ...
. The
Ottomans
Ottoman may refer to:
* Osman I, historically known in English as "Ottoman I", founder of the Ottoman Empire
* Osman II, historically known in English as "Ottoman II"
* Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empir ...
captured most of Epirus and raided the island, leading the Tocci to consider ceding it to the Venetians.
Faced with expanding Ottoman power in the mainland, the Tocci became vassals of the Ottoman sultans. The last of them,
Leonardo III Tocco
Leonardo III Tocco (after 1436 – before August 1503) was the last ruler of the Despotate of Epirus, ruling from the death of his father Carlo II Tocco in 1448 to the despotate's fall to the Ottoman Empire in 1479. Leonardo was one of the last in ...
() was helped to maintain his rule through his marriage to
Milica Branković, a niece of
the highly esteemed stepmother of the Ottoman sultan
Mehmed the Conqueror
Mehmed II (; , ; 30 March 14323 May 1481), commonly known as Mehmed the Conqueror (; ), was twice the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from August 1444 to September 1446 and then later from February 1451 to May 1481.
In Mehmed II's first reign, ...
(); but when she died, he married the Aragonese Francesca Marzano. The couple quickly became hated by their Greek subjects due to their oppressive taxation. Lefkada, along with Cephalonia and Zakynthos, was captured by the Ottoman admiral
Gedik Ahmed Pasha
Gedik Ahmed Pasha (; died 18 November 1482) was an Ottoman statesman and admiral who served as Grand Vizier and Kapudan Pasha (Grand Admiral of the Ottoman Navy) during the reigns of sultans Mehmed II and Bayezid II.
Very little was known abo ...
in 1479. Part of the population was deported to
Constantinople
Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
as part of Mehmed's policy to repopulate his capital.
Ottoman period
The Ottomans called the island Levkada ( or ), with the name Aya Mavra (, from Greek , meaning "Santa Maura") reserved for the castle and capital of the island, where almost the entire population lived. Under Ottoman rule, it was initially a ''
kaza
A kaza (, "judgment" or "jurisdiction") was an administrative divisions of the Ottoman Empire, administrative division of the Ottoman Empire. It is also discussed in English under the names district, subdistrict, and juridical district. Kazas co ...
'' of the ''
sanjak
A sanjak or sancak (, , "flag, banner") was an administrative division of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans also sometimes called the sanjak a liva (, ) from the name's calque in Arabic and Persian.
Banners were a common organization of nomad ...
'' of
Karli-Eli, which from belonged to the
Eyalet of the Archipelago
The Eyalet of the Islands of the White Sea () was a first-level province (eyalet) of the Ottoman Empire. From its inception until the Tanzimat reforms of the mid-19th century, it was under the personal control of the Kapudan Pasha, the commander-i ...
, subordinated to the chief admiral of the
Ottoman navy
The Ottoman Navy () or the Imperial Navy (), also known as the Ottoman Fleet, was the naval warfare arm of the Ottoman Empire. It was established after the Ottomans first reached the sea in 1323 by capturing Praenetos (later called Karamürsel ...
, the ''
Kapudan Pasha
The Kapudan Pasha (, modern Turkish: ), also known as the (, modern: , "Captain of the Sea") was the grand admiral of the Ottoman Navy. Typically, he was based at Galata and Gallipoli during the winter and charged with annual sailings durin ...
''. The ''kaza'' of Lefkada comprised not only the island, but also part of the adjoining mainland. The Venetians briefly occupied the island in 1502–03 during the
Second Ottoman–Venetian War, but returned it to the Ottomans in the final peace settlement. With about a thousand inhabitants in , the town of Lefkada was both the largest settlement and the main military installation in the ''sanjak'', with 111 soldiers and 9 artillerymen. As with the rest of the ''sanjak'', at the time the entire population appears to have been Christian, and only the fortress garrisons and administrators were Muslim; thus the only mosques were located inside the fortresses.
A lack of water led to the construction of a long
aqueduct from the island's interior to the town in 1564, during the reign of Sultan
Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman I (; , ; 6 November 14946 September 1566), commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent in the Western world and as Suleiman the Lawgiver () in his own realm, was the List of sultans of the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman sultan between 1520 a ...
(). Bringing water to the walled town as well as to the much larger—some 700–800 houses—open town that had grown around it was one of the most important works of Ottoman civil architecture in the western Balkans. On top of the aqueduct was a footpath that provided the only access to the island other than by the sea. In the aftermath of the Ottoman defeat at the
Battle of Lepanto
The Battle of Lepanto was a naval warfare, naval engagement that took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League (1571), Holy League, a coalition of Catholic states arranged by Pope Pius V, inflicted a major defeat on the fleet of t ...
, the castle was unsuccessfully besieged by the forces of the
Holy League. As a result, it was completely rebuilt and enlarged by the ''Kapudan Pasha''
Kılıç Ali Pasha in 1572–1574 into a hexagonal fortress with large towers as artillery platforms.
In the 17th century, Lefkada became a separate ''sanjak'' within the Eyalet of the Archipelago, although according to
Evliya Çelebi
Dervish Mehmed Zillî (25 March 1611 – 1682), known as Evliya Çelebi (), was an Ottoman Empire, Ottoman explorer who travelled through his home country during its cultural zenith as well as neighboring lands. He travelled for over 40 years, rec ...
it belonged briefly to the
Morea Eyalet
The Eyalet of the Morea () was a first-level province ('' eyalet'') of the Ottoman Empire, centred on the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece.
History
From the Ottoman conquest to the 17th century
The Ottoman Empire overran the Peloponne ...
in the 15th and 17th centuries. Evliya visited the island in 1670/71 and left a long and accurate description of the fortifications as well as of the town, where Islam had apparently made considerable progress. According to Evliya, the walled town boasted five
Friday mosques, including an Imperial Mosque (''Hünkar Camii''), which was a converted church, a minor mosque (''masjid''), a ''
madrasa
Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , ), sometimes Romanization of Arabic, romanized as madrasah or madrassa, is the Arabic word for any Educational institution, type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whet ...
'', two schools (''
maktab''), a bath (''
hammam
A hammam (), also often called a Turkish bath by Westerners, is a type of steam bath or a place of public bathing associated with the Islamic world. It is a prominent feature in the culture of the Muslim world and was inherited from the model ...
''), and five public fountains (''çeshme''). The walled town with its 200 stone houses was now occupied exclusively by Muslims, while the two suburbs (''varosh'') to the east and west were built of wood and had a mixed population. The western one was far larger, with 300 houses to 40–50 in the eastern one, and had a wooden mosque and ''masjid'', a ''
tekke'', a ''maktab'', two
caravanserai
A caravanserai (or caravansary; ) was an inn that provided lodging for travelers, merchants, and Caravan (travellers), caravans. They were present throughout much of the Islamic world. Depending on the region and period, they were called by a ...
s, as well as seven small churches. Evliya remarks that this suburb had many wineshops, which were popular with both the inhabitants and the garrison. Another suburb (the ''Varosh-i Lefqada'') was located on the island itself, with some 700 houses, all of them inhabited by Christian Greeks, who had 20 churches. Evliya's account is corroborated by
Jacob Spon and
George Wheler's account that the town had about 5,000 to 6,000 inhabitants, mostly Greeks or Turks.
According to the descriptions of travellers like Evliya, Lefkada was an urban centre of some importance, boasting "two of the largest works of Ottoman civil and military architecture in the Western Balkans", namely the aqueduct built by Sultan
Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman I (; , ; 6 November 14946 September 1566), commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent in the Western world and as Suleiman the Lawgiver () in his own realm, was the List of sultans of the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman sultan between 1520 a ...
() and the
Castle of Santa Maura, which was completely rebuilt by
Kılıç Ali Pasha in the reign of Sultan
Selim II ().
Venetian period

The island was conquered by the Venetians under
Francesco Morosini
Francesco Morosini (26 February 1619 – 16 January 1694) was the Doge of Venice from 1688 to 1694, at the height of the Great Turkish War. He was one of the many Doges and generals produced by the Venetian noble Morosini family.Encyclopæd ...
following a
sixteen-day siege in 1684, during the opening stages of the
Morean War
The Morean war (), also known as the Sixth Ottoman–Venetian War, was fought between 1684–1699 as part of the wider conflict known as the "Great Turkish War", between the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire. Military operations ranged ...
. Morosini evacuated the walled town and demolished both it and the two suburbs directly outside the walls, turning them into the castle's ''
glacis
A glacis (, ) in military engineering is an artificial slope as part of a medieval castle or in early modern fortresses. They may be constructed of earth as a temporary structure or of stone in more permanent structure. More generally, a glaci ...
''. Only the island suburb remained, known as "Amaxiki" until the 19th century. With the evicted inhabitants settling there, this became the main town of the island, the predecessor of the modern city of Lefkada. The Venetians also removed all buildings associated with Islam.
The Venetians modernized the castle in the 1710s, removing the last traces of the medieval castle and adding
outworks towards the eastern, mainland side. During the
Seventh Ottoman–Venetian War
Seventh is the ordinal number (linguistics), ordinal form of the number 7, seven.
Seventh may refer to:
* Seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution
* A fraction (mathematics), , equal to one of seven equal parts
Film and television
*"T ...
, following the
Ottoman reconquest of the Morea
The Ottoman reconquest of the Morea took place in June–September 1715, during the Seventh Ottoman–Venetian War. The Ottoman army, under Grand Vizier Silahdar Damat Ali Pasha, aided by the fleet under Kapudan Pasha ('Grand Admiral') Canım Hoca ...
in 1715, the Venetians initially abandoned Lefkada to focus their resources on the defence of
Corfu
Corfu ( , ) or Kerkyra (, ) is a Greece, Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands; including its Greek islands, small satellite islands, it forms the margin of Greece's northwestern frontier. The island is part of the Corfu (regio ...
. The castle was abandoned and partly demolished, but after the
Siege of Corfu ended in a Venetian victory, the island was reoccupied and the fortifications restored.
Venetian rule over the island was uninterrupted, apart from a rebellion of the local Greeks in 1769, until the
Fall of the Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice was dissolved and dismembered by the French general Napoleon Bonaparte and the Habsburg monarchy on 12 May 1797, ending approximately 1,100 years of its existence. It was the final action of Napoleon's Italian campaign ...
in 1797.
Post-Venetian period until the union with Greece
Following the end of the Republic of Venice in 1797, Lefkada, like the other
Venetian Ionian Islands, was
occupied by the French, who held it until a Russo-Turkish expedition under
Fyodor Ushakov
Admiral Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov ( rus, Фёдор Фёдорович Ушаков, Fëdor Fëdorovič Ušakov, p=ʊʂɐˈkof; – ) was an Imperial Russian Navy officer best known for his service in the French Revolutionary and Napoleon ...
captured it in 1799. In 1800, the
Septinsular Republic
The Septinsular Republic (; ), also known as the Republic of the Seven United Islands, was an oligarchic republic that existed from 1800 to 1807 under nominal Russian and Ottoman sovereignty in the Ionian Islands (Corfu, Paxoi, Lefkada, Cephalon ...
was established, a Russian protectorate under ''de jure'' Ottoman suzerainty. The Russian Empire employed troops recruited from fugitive
klepht
Klephts (; Greek κλέφτης, ''kléftis'', pl. κλέφτες, ''kléftes'', which means "thieves" and perhaps originally meant just "brigand": "Other Greeks, taking to the mountains, became unofficial, self-appointed armatoles and were know ...
s and
armatoloi
The armatoles (; ; ; ), or armatole in singular, were irregular soldiers, or militia, commissioned by the Ottoman Empire, Ottomans to enforce the sultan's authority within an administrative district called an armatoliki ( in singular, , in plura ...
in the Ionian Islands, particularly of Lefkada. Among these were captains Anastasios Tselios and Apostolos Levendakis, the latter of whom in 1802 offered to raise a company of 60 fighters on Lefkada to support the Russians.
Ali Pasha of Ioannina
Ali Pasha (1740 – 24 January 1822), commonly known as Ali Pasha of Yanina or Ali Pasha of Tepelena, was an Albanian ruler who served as Ottoman pasha of the Pashalik of Yanina, a large part of western Rumelia. Under his rule, it acquired a ...
, who coveted possession of the Ionian Islands, besieged Lefkada in 1807. For this purpose he erected two forts on the mainland shore, the
Tekke Castle and the
St. George's Castle, but his attacks on the Castle of Santa Maura were successfully repulsed by the local Russian and Greek forces of the Septinsular Republic.
French rule was restored in 1807 after the
Treaty of Tilsit
The Treaties of Tilsit (), also collectively known as the Peace of Tilsit (; ), were two peace treaties signed by French Emperor Napoleon in the town of Tilsit in July 1807 in the aftermath of his victory at Friedland, at the end of the War o ...
, but in 1810, the British
captured the island. In 1815, the United Kingdom set up the
United States of the Ionian Islands
The United States of the Ionian Islands was a Greeks, Greek state (polity), state and Protectorate#Amical_protection, amical protectorate of the United Kingdom between 1815 and 1864. The succession of states, successor state of the Septinsular R ...
as a protectorate, including Lefkada.
Much of the town, including the Ottoman aqueduct, was destroyed in an earthquake in 1825. After this, the town was rebuilt in wood to prevent similar damage. In 1864 the islands were
ceded to Greece. The island then numbered about 24,000 inhabitants.
Lafcadio Hearn Historical Center
The first museum in Europe for
Lafcadio Hearn
was a Greek-born Irish and Japanese writer, translator, and teacher who introduced the culture and literature of Japan to the Western world. His writings offered unprecedented insight into Japanese culture, especially his collections of legend ...
, who was born on the island and is named after it, was inaugurated in Lefkada on July 4, 2014, as Lafcadio Hearn Historical Center. It contains early editions, rare books and Japanese collectibles. The visitors, through photos, texts and exhibits, can wander in the significant events of Lafcadio Hearn's life, and also in the civilizations of Europe, America and Japan of late 19th and early 20th centuries through the open mind of his lectures, writings and tales. The municipalities of Kumamoto, Matsue, Shinjuku, Yaizu, as well as Toyama University, the Koizumi family, and other people from Japan and Greece contributed to the establishment of the Lafcadio Hearn Historical Center.
Municipality
The present municipality of Lefkada was formed in the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 7 former municipalities, which became municipal units:
[
*]Apollonioi
Apollonioi () is a former municipality on the island of Lefkada, Ionian Islands, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lefkada
Lefkada (, ''Lefkáda'', ), also known as Lefkas or Leukas (Ancient Greek and ...
*Ellomenos
Ellomenos () is a former municipality on the island of Lefkada, Ionian Islands, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lefkada
Lefkada (, ''Lefkáda'', ), also known as Lefkas or Leukas (Ancient Greek and ...
*Kalamos
Kalamos (; ) is a Greek mythological figure. He is son of Maiandros, the god of the Maeander river.
Mythology
A story in Nonnus's ''Dionysiaca'' tells about the love of two youths, Kalamos and Karpos. Karpos drowned in the Meander river whil ...
* Karya
*Kastos
Kastos () is a Greek island and a former community east of the island of Lefkada, Ionian Islands, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lefkada, of which it is a municipal unit. Until 1974, when it became pa ...
*Lefkada (city)
Lefkada City (, ''Póli tis Lefkádas'') is a city and a former municipality on the island of Lefkada, Ionian Islands (region), Ionian Islands, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lefkada, of which it is a ...
*Sfakiotes
Sfakiotes () is a former municipality on the island of Lefkada, Ionian Islands, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lefkada, of which it is a municipal unit. It is landlocked and located in the northern par ...
The municipality covers the island of Lefkada and the smaller islands of Kastos
Kastos () is a Greek island and a former community east of the island of Lefkada, Ionian Islands, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lefkada, of which it is a municipal unit. Until 1974, when it became pa ...
and Kalamos
Kalamos (; ) is a Greek mythological figure. He is son of Maiandros, the god of the Maeander river.
Mythology
A story in Nonnus's ''Dionysiaca'' tells about the love of two youths, Kalamos and Karpos. Karpos drowned in the Meander river whil ...
.
Education
Regional Development department, part of Ionian university
The Ionian University (IU; ) is a university located in the Ionian Islands (region), Ionian Islands, Greece. It is one of the newest institutions of Higher Education in Greece, created in 1984 pursuant to presidential order 83/84 ΦΕΚ 31 Α/2 ...
based in Lefkada.
Sport
The Island of Lefkada and the town of Vasiliki are known as a hotspot for extreme sport lovers. The island has become a favorite spot for windsurfers. Another sport is the 4X4 events and opportunities for offroad activities.
Transport
* Greek National Road 42
* Aktion (Preveza) Airport
Notable people
(in chronological order)
* Marcos Christino Fioravanti (1775–1862), co-founder of Santo Antônio da Patrulha in Brazil
*Frederick Temple
Frederick Temple (30 November 1821 – 23 December 1902) was an English academic, teacher and Clergy, churchman, who served as Bishop of Exeter (1869–1885), Bishop of London (1885–1896) and Archbishop of Canterbury (1896–1902).
Early ...
(1821–1902), Archbishop of Canterbury
* Aristotelis Valaoritis (1824–1879), poet and politician
*Lafcadio Hearn
was a Greek-born Irish and Japanese writer, translator, and teacher who introduced the culture and literature of Japan to the Western world. His writings offered unprecedented insight into Japanese culture, especially his collections of legend ...
(1850–1904), Greco-Irish orientalist and writer, born on and named after the island
* Petros Soumilas (1861–1955), Greek Army officer who reached the rank of lieutenant general.
* Dimitrios Golemis (1874–1941), athlete
* Aggelos Sikelianos (1884–1951), poet and playwright
* Tzavalas Karousos or Karoussos (1904–1969), actor
*Aristotle Onassis
Aristotle Socrates Onassis (, ; , ; 20 January 1906 – 15 March 1975) was a Greek and Argentine business magnate. He amassed the world's largest privately-owned shipping fleet and was one of the world's richest and most famous men. He was marri ...
, (1906–1975), Greek shipping tycoon
* Panos Rontoyannis (1911–1996), philologist and historian
*Theodoros Stamos
Theodoros Stamos (Greek: Θεόδωρος Στάμος) (December 31, 1922 – February 2, 1997) was a Greek-American painter. He is one of the youngest painters of the original group of abstract expressionist painters (the so-called " Irasc ...
(1922–1997), Greek-American painter
*Apostolos Kaklamanis
Apostolos Kaklamanis () (born 7 September 1936) is a Greece, Greek politician and member of the Greek Parliament for the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) for the Athens B (constituency), Athens B constituency.
He has been elected as a PASOK ...
(1936-), politician
Evaggelos Vlassopoulos
(1935–2002), politician
* George Ktenas (1938–2004), politician
*Agnes Baltsa
Agni Baltsa (; also known as Agnes Baltsa; born 19 November 1944) is a leading Greek mezzo-soprano singer.
Baltsa was born in Lefkada. She began playing piano at the age of seven, before moving to Athens in 1958 to concentrate on singing. She gr ...
(1944-), opera singer
* Maria Vamvakinou (1959- ), Australian politician
* Spyros Vrettos (1960-), poet
* Spiros Marangos (1967-), footballer
* Marina Lambrini Diamandis (1985-), singer and songwriter
Gallery
File:Lefkas Grèce 0023.JPG, Traditional street of Lefkada (city)
Lefkada City (, ''Póli tis Lefkádas'') is a city and a former municipality on the island of Lefkada, Ionian Islands (region), Ionian Islands, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lefkada, of which it is a ...
File:20140412 lefkada184.JPG, Panagia ton Xenon, Lefkada city
File:Porto Katsiki 6108.JPG, Porto Katsiki beach
File:Kalamos Town 2.jpg, Kalamos village
File:Vraka Lefkas Greek Costume.JPG, Traditional dress
See also
* Egremni
Notes
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
Lefkada Travel Guide
Municipal Port Fund of Lefkada Official page
Lefkada Prefecture
The official page of Greek National Tourism Organization
*
Map of Homer's Ithaka
(Lefkada), Same and Asteris according to Wilhelm Dörpfeld. Digital library of Heidelberg University
Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg (; ), is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386 on instruction of Pope Urban VI, Heidelberg is Germany's oldest unive ...
.
Photo of Dörpfeld's excavation site
at Lefkada near Nydri, early in the 20th century. Digital library of Heidelberg University
Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg (; ), is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386 on instruction of Pope Urban VI, Heidelberg is Germany's oldest unive ...
.
Lafcadio Hearn Historical Center
Lefkada Official App
{{Authority control
Islands of the Ionian Islands (region)
Islands of Greece
Municipalities of the Ionian Islands (region)
Corinthian colonies
Septinsular Republic
Landforms of Lefkada (regional unit)
United States of the Ionian Islands
Populated places in Lefkada (regional unit)