Achilleion Palace

Elisabeth von Wiltelsbach, Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary commissioned Achilleion in 1890, her palace in Corfu which she used as her summer haven after her son passed away. The construction was finished in 1892. The palace is set 10km from Corfu Town, at the beautiful region of Gastouri. It was named as such after the Homeric hero of the Iliad, Achilles.

At 1907, the palace was bought by Kaiser Wilhelm II and some years later, it was passed onto the Greek Government to be turned to a museum. It is a marvelous classical building of excellent interior and exterior architecture, with wonderful works of art and impressive, lush gardens. Paintings and personal items of its distinguished owners are on display.

The imposing statue of “The Wounded Achilles”, the favourite statue of the Empress, is the trademark of the entire palace. It depicts Achilles in pain, after being mortally wounded by the arrow of Paris, trying to remove it in vain.

Achilleion Palace is open to public all year round. Opening hours vary depending on season. During tourist season you may visit from 8:00 to 19:00 while in winter from 9:00 to 15:30. The ticket will cost you 7 euro per person. However, there is price reduction for large groups, children and pensioners. The museum is one of Corfu’s main tourist attractions not just as a beautiful setting, but also as a historic building.

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