The Monastery of Agioi Theodoros Stratias was founded around 1500. It is located within the Paleopolis (archaeological area). To the west of the Monastery are the ruins of the ancient Doric temple of Artemis (590-580 BC). The Monastery was built on the ruins of an Early Christian Basilica of the 5th century. For its construction, materials from both the old Christian temple and the ancient temple were used.
It was one of the wealthiest women's monasteries and women from the upper classes of Corfu lived there during the Latin occupation. It is of particular interest and is a remarkable monument with important Byzantine and post-Byzantine era images. In the year 1797, when the French Democrats occupied Corfu, in a part of the Monastery they installed their military garrison and some cells were used as military prisons. On the northern outer gate of the Monastery there is an inset coat of arms of the English Commissioner Maitland with an inscription that mentions the return of the Monastery to its former state, since the confiscation of the French.
In 1915 the Monastery was seriously damaged by fire, which destroyed a third of its cells. Also significant damages were caused during the Second World War by the Italian and German bombings. In recent years the Monastery has been renovated and is in very good condition. The Holy Monastery of Agioi Theodoros Stratias celebrates the 1st Saturday of M. Tessarakosti.
Editor: Fotini Anastasopoulou