Castle of Agia Mavra, Lefkas

About the museum

The Castle of Agia Mavra dominates the entrance to Lefkada, built on an islet surrounded by marshes. Its name derives from the small church of Agia Mavra (Santa Maura) that stood inside it. It is assumed that in the same place a smaller fort had been built in the early 14th century, attributed to the Frankish ruler of the island, Ioannis Orsini, which controlled the passage from mainland Greece to the island.

In its seven centuries of existence the castle was besieged twelve times and passed successively to the Angevins, the French, the Ottomans, the Venetians, the Russo-Turks and the British. The greatest alterations took place in the Ottoman period, when it was strengthened with nine bastions and a water-filled moat and acquired its irregular heptagonal shape. The fortified town reached 25,000 m² and for many years was the capital of the island. In 1684 the Venetians recaptured it and modernised it, in 1797 the French took it, and in 1810 the British.

In the bastions of the north-eastern tip a museum has operated since 2024, with informative material on the long history of the castle and finds such as coins and everyday objects, in thematic sections on fortification architecture, religious faith, monasticism and more recent memories. The restored Venetian gunpowder magazine of 1719 serves as a space for digital projections, while the small church of Agia Mavra, patron saint of Lefkada, dates to 1888.

Highlights

• Castle on an islet surrounded by marshes
• Museum in the bastions of the north-eastern tip (since 2024)
• Venetian gunpowder magazine of 1719 with digital projections
• Church of Agia Mavra, patron saint of Lefkada (1888)

Permanent exhibition

• Μουσείο του Κάστρου Αγίας Μαύρας – Informative material on the history of the castle and finds such as coins and everyday objects, in thematic sections on fortifications, religious faith and monasticism.

Operated by

Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού – Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Αιτωλοακαρνανίας και Λευκάδας

Admission & discounts

Free admission: 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October and the first and third Sunday of every month from 1 November to 31 March.

The same ticket covers the museum inside the castle and the digital projection space in the gunpowder magazine.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The site has an area accessible to people with disabilities.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The castle is 1.2 km north-east of the town, next to the movable bridge to the island. It is a 25-minute walk from the centre of Lefkada and 5 minutes by car.

Amenities & dining

Toilets on site.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.