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All images © by Roberto Piperno, owner of the domain. Write to romapip@quipo.it. Text edited by Rosamie Moore.
Page revised in November 2009.

Map of Santamaura Santa Maura (Lefkada)

Key dates:
1362 - 1477 Duchy of Santa Maura (Leucade); it was ruled by the Del Tocco family.
1477 - 1684 Part of the Ottoman Empire (1500-01 temporary Venetian occupation).
1684 - 1797 Venetian possession (1715-16 temporary occupation by the Ottomans).
1797 - 1810 Occupied by the French, then by the Russians, then by the French again and finally by the British.

Overview
The lagoon of Santa Maura: (above) northern part of the lagoon seen from the mainland: to the left the main town and to the right the fortress; (below) southern part of the lagoon seen from the mainland: there is a passage to the sea near the electric transmission tower

The northern tip of the island of Santa Maura (today Lefkada) is situated very close to the mainland to which it is linked by a long strip of sand which forms a large lagoon.

Map of the fortress
1692 Map of the fortress of Santa Maura (stagno=marsh/lagoon)

A medieval fortress was built on the strip of sand to protect a canal which allowed ships to enter the lagoon.

Western side
Fortress of Santa Maura: (above) western side; (below) southern side

The fortress was modified by the Ottomans and later on by the Venetians; the latter in particular provided it with a large number of cannon which were capable of greatly damaging a hostile fleet.

Eastern side
Fortress of Santa Maura: (above) northern side; (below) eastern side

The walls of the fortress are low, because the Venetians did not want them to be an easy target for the enemy's cannon. They strengthened in a traditional way only the eastern side of the fortress which faced the mainland.

Entrance and winged lion
(left) Entrance; (right) winged lion on a Camozzi cannon

The main entrance to the fortress shows elements of an Ottoman design; the Venetians placed a winged lion above the gate, but now it is barely visible (the image used as background for this page shows a modern winged lion placed by Greek authorities on the external walls of the fortress). A winged lion can still be seen on a cannon.

Camozzi cannon
(left) Camozzi cannon; (right) a cannon on the southern wall of the fortress

Inside the fortress there is a cannon upon which the name of the manufacturer can still be read (Carlo Camozzi from Bergamo, a town near Milan which was a Venetian possession). The foundry was located in the village of Clanezzo (you may wish to see it in an external link).

Chapels
(left) Entrance to a former chapel; (right) bell tower of Agia Mavra, the only remaining consecrated chapel inside the fortress

The Venetians acquired Santa Maura in 1684 and they decided to build a new town on the other side of the lagoon; the population of the island increased after the 1718 Peace of Passarowitz because Venice relocated people from its former possessions in Candia and Morea to Santa Maura.
The fortress continued to house a small civilian population as the Diary of Charles Bush Hearn testifies:
"Today (June 25, 1849) we came to the famous 500 year-old fortress, Santa Maura. Its bulky and mighty walls dominate the entrance to Lefkada Island. A lagoon surrounds the fortress. These waters are rich in plant life as well as native and migratory birds. Behind the fortress, beyond the lagoon, lays the major town of the island, Levkas. The strong walls of the fortress are earthquake proof. They have withstood the tremors over the past five centuries resulting from fortification techniques of ancient times. There are three sides to the fort with seven gun positions which are placed at seven points where the walls jut out. There are special rooms called "ammunition magazines" where ammunition is stored. The fortress is livable too. There is a model city within: houses, schools, offices and a hospital. Underground there are tanks, called "cisterns," for storing rainwater. During the past 39 years of the British Protectorate, all facilities have been modernized."
In 1888 most of the buildings inside the fortress were destroyed by a fire caused by the explosion of a munitions depot.

The seizing of Santa Maura
Engraving showing the Venetian defence of Santa Maura

The engraving shows the Venetians defending Santa Maura; in 1715 however they preferred to abandon the island to concentrate their forces on the defence of Corfu. In 1716, after the Ottomans had failed to conquer that island, the Venetians managed to return to Santa Maura.

British grave
Grave of Major General Henry Davis
TO THE MEMORY OF
MAJOR GENERAL H(ENRY) DAVIS, A(D)JUTANT GENERAL OF HIS
BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S FORCES IN SICILY
WHO ON HIS RETURN FROM GREECE DIED
AT S(AN)TA MAURA ON THE 26TH DECEMBER 1813
IN THE 45TH YEAR OF HIS AGE.
THIS TRIBUTE IS ERECTED BY ORDER OF HIS EXCELLENCY LIEUT. GENERAL
JAMES CAMPBELL HIS MAJESTY’S CIVIL
COMMISSIONER AND COMMANDER OF THE FORCES IN THE JONIAN
AND ADRIATIC ISLES
AS A MARK OF HIS
ESTEEM AND REGARD
A(NNO) D(OMINI) 1815.

Move to page two: other defences of the lagoon, Ottoman fortifications and XVIIIth century churches

Excerpts from Memorie Istoriografiche del Regno della Morea Riacquistato dall'armi della Sereniss. Repubblica di Venezia printed in Venice in 1692 and related to this page:

Isola di Lefkada

Da Tolomeo Leucas, da Strabone, Plinio, e Mela Leucadia sù detta l'Isola, c'hoggidì chiamassi Lefcada, e di Santa Maura, posta nel Mar Ionio, lungi da Ceffalonia nove Miglia, e 25 dalle Curzolari quale cointegrata un tempo all'Achaia, fù da Paesani divisa, e ridotta in Isola, non molto conservossi disgionta, poiche addunando impetuosi venti nell'intervallo in gran quantità l'arena formorno un'Istmo, per quale riunissi: onde dicevasi Penisola: sciolta, all'Istmo già rovinato, supplisce di presente un Ponte di Legno continuato sopra più Isolette separate da piccioli canali; occupa per tantop l'Isola sito per circa 70 miglia di circuito, e è sì fertile, ch'abbonda a gran misura ne raccolti consistenti in grano, vino, oglio, tabacco, e fruttid'ogni sorte; contiene oltre Santa Maura, à cui è annessa, trenta Villaggi, de quali si computano per principali Trini, Apolpena, Sfarchiotes, Caria, Azzani, Vrnica, Scuiro, San Pietro, Engloni, Dragano, Englimento, che derelitti cogl'altri da fuggitivi Turchi vanno populandosi di presente dalli Greci di Terra Ferma. Tiene molti Porti, che sono di Demata, Santa Maura, Scivoto, Englimeno, Vallone di Vasilichi, de quali i più considerati sono li doi primi. Hà in oltre una Placa naturale, che servì di ricovero alle Galere, e Galeazze Venete in quest'ultimo attacco. Spinge parimente dal Continente the Promontorij l'uno d'Angusci, gl'altri due d'Englimeno, e di Capo Ducato, ed'intorno se gl'annumerano li scogli di S. Nicolò, di Sparti, di Scorpione, di Figlia, di Magnifici, e di Sessola, nel quale trovansi in gran copia i Sorci, à causa di che, dicesi anco scoglio de Sorci.

CITTA, E FORTEZZA DI SANTA MAURA

La Città, e Fortezza di Santa Maura bagnata d'intorno dall'acque del Mar Ionio è situata trà l'Isola Lefcada, e Terra Ferma, à questa unendosi per mezzo di più Isolette congionte da ugual numero de Ponti, con quella communicando parimenti per via d'un Ponte, e di ontuoso Aquidotto di pietra lungo in circa un miglio, sostenuto da 360 archi: hà verso Levante, una lingua di sabbia, che prologandosi in buona guisa forma il Porto di Demata; alza le proprie mura in figura Eptagona irregolare con sopra angoli, cinque Torrioni, che la fiancheggiano.
Eccitata piùvolte da martiali impulsi impugnò la Spada arditamente alla difesa; mà poiche il Cielo non sempre secondò il suo valore, avvenne, che fù astretta hor soggettarsi alla Luna della Tracia, hor umiliarsi al Leone dell'Adria. Fù nel 1479 combatutta, da Turchi, ed'in fine levata ad'alcuni Principi della Grecia, à quali ubbidiva.
Nel 1502, comandate dal Generale Pesaro l'Armi Venete, non s'applicavano queste ad impresa senza riportarne gloriosi i progressi; onde impiegate nell'espugnatione di Santa Maura, così con ordine, e vigorosamente oprorno, ch'in breve atterata ivi la Luna eressero lo Stendardo del glorioso S. Marco; cessò dall'una, e l'altra parte l'hostilità, che però a Baiazete fù restituita per accordati di pace. Divenuta da quel tempo nido infame di gente trista, e malvagia, si rese si insofribile, che conciliatosi l'odio della Christianità tutta, udivansi concordi gl'animi a bramargli l'eccidio, ad'augurargli rovine. Il Capitan Generale Morosini accudindo a sì giusti desiderij, e riflettendo con religioso sentimento, non esser con degno ricetto a scelerati un luogo, che porta la santità nel Nome, stabilì la distruzione di quegl'Infidi. Eseguì perciò l'assunto con tanto calore, e fatti si urgenti, ch'in breve ne vidde il sospirato esito, cederono i provetti Difensori, perchè stanchi d'infruttuosamente resistervi, conoscevano imminente la lor caduta; in conformità alle capitolazioni, espurgorno la Città, uscendo con quanto addosso portar poteano. E per tanto entrat'i Veneti al possesso di si importante Piazza, dopo eretti gl'Altari a Dio, e rese al medesimo le gratie, la risarcirono ne danni, l'augumentarono nelle Fortificazioni.

Introductory page on the Venetian Fortresses
Pages of this section:
On the Ionian Islands:     Corfù (Kerkyra)     Paxo (Paxi)     Santa Maura (Lefkadas)     Cefalonia (Kephallonia)     Asso (Assos)     Itaca (Ithaki)     Zante (Zachintos)     Cerigo (Kythera)
On the mainland: Butrinto (Butrint)     Parga     Preveza and Azio (Aktion)     Vonizza (Vonitsa)     Lepanto (Nafpaktos)     Atene (Athens)
On Morea:     Castel di Morea (Rio), Castel di Rumelia (Antirio) and Patrasso (Patra)     Castel Tornese (Hlemoutsi) and Glarenza     Navarino (Pilo) and Calamata     Modon (Methoni)     Corone (Koroni)     Braccio di Maina, Zarnata, Passavà and Chielefà     Mistrà     Corinto (Korinthos)     Argo (Argos)     Napoli di Romania (Nafplio)     Malvasia (Monemvassia)
On the Aegean Sea:     Negroponte (Chalki)     Castelrosso (Karistos)     Oreo     Lemno (Limnos)     Schiatto (Skiathos)     Scopello (Skopelos)     Alonisso     Schiro (Skyros)     Andro (Andros)     Tino (Tinos)     Micono (Mykonos)     Siro (Syros)     Egina (Aegina)     Spezzia (Spetse)     Paris (Paros)     Antiparis (Andiparos)     Nasso (Naxos)     Serifo (Serifos)     Sifno (Syphnos)     Milo (Milos)     Argentiera (Kimolos)     Santorino (Thira)     Folegandro (Folegandros)     Stampalia (Astipalea)     Candia (Kriti)

You may refresh your knowledge of the history of Venice in the Levant by reading an abstract from the History of Venice by Thomas Salmon, published in 1754. The Italian text is accompanied by an English summary.

Clickable Map of the Ionian and Aegean Seas with links to the Venetian fortresses and to other locations (opens in a separate window)