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Lefkada Town
Lefkada town |
Welcome to Lefkada Town!
The capital of the island is called Lefkada Town, and it sits at the most northerly point of the island where the bridge links it to the mainland. The most notable architecture of this area is the old fortress of Santa Maura dating to the late 13th century. Within its walls was constructed a monastery in the late 15th century, which lasted for only a few years before the invading Turks turned it into a mosque. Nearby is the large lagoon, which accounts for the island’s salt production. The town’s best beach, Yyra, is situated just west of the lagoon.
Since most of the capital was destroyed by two serious and separate earthquakes (1948 and 1953), most of the structures existing now date to the post-quake period and are not taller than two stories. The capital is small and compact and has three small, but interesting museums. The most unusual is the Phonograph Museum (or Sound Museum) displaying old gramophones, old LPs, and antiques. You can even buy some cassettes of rare traditional music from the early 1900s. The Archaeological Museum contains finds, mostly from the modern day resort area of Nydri. In the Municipal Library, there is an Icon Museum, which is interesting and contains many fine examples of the Ionian School.
Quite a few churches and chapels survived the quakes, and one of the most interesting, Ai. Spyridonas, can be found in the central square of the town. From above the town, there is the Monastery of Faneromeni dating originally to the 17th century, which burned down and was rebuilt in the 19th century. It’s a peaceful spot from which to look down over the town and the lagoon.
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