The charming village of Agios Mattheos in south Corfu, and its history from WWI.
This village offers a very different side of Corfu from the island’s busier resorts: It is steeped in history and is surrounded by forest, olive groves, mountains, ancient ruins, wetlands and wild beaches.
Agios Mattheos retains the everyday life and character of a genuine Corfiot village. We admired many quaint little lanes as we made our way to the church on the hill. We parked by this beautiful old building with the green door that you see in the photo above. From there, a short walk of just a minute or two took us to the part of the main road with the shops and the cafés.
Then, we headed left into the lanes heading to the top of the hill to visit the church, as we had received a tip that from its yard, the view would be worth our trouble.
As we began to ascend, we noticed an imposing bell tower over the rooftops that helped us find our way.
It took just a couple minutes, walking through the most delightful web of lanes that compelled me to keep taking snapshots, to find the bell tower, then the church closeby.
At the terrace, we found the church closed, but there was a comfortable bench under the heavy shade of a tree where we could stop for a bit and take a breath after our little wander about in the scorching heat.
The view from the church terrace more than lived up to the expectations. A definite must-see. It overlooks the village, while offering a generous vista of lush peaks all around.
There are two memorials on this terrace. The first one honors the locals who lost their lives during the Balkan wars in 1912-13.
A second memorial that depicts a local farmer, Yannis Yannoulis, was placed there by the Serbian Army as an offer of thanks. During WWI, and specifically between 1916-1918, a vast amount of Serbian soldiers were stationed on Corfu.
Yannoulis frequently donated food to them from his own land and animal produce. He also offered his land for the burial of the Serbian soldiers who lost their lives on the island.
In the area, another monument stands, which is dedicated to the Serbian military division of Drina.
The Serbian army and thousands of refugees fled Serbia during WWI, a historic event known as the Great Retreat or the “Albanian Golgotha”. Corfu was hailed “The Island of Salvation” and received thousands of Serbian soldiers and civilians.
The Serbian military division of Soumantia was stationed in the villages of Messonghi, Stroggyli and Episkopiana while the great division of Drina was stationed in Agios Mattheos. During this time, the cemetery was created at the village (Serviko Nekrotafio), as well as the ‘Serbian Water Tap’ (Serviki Vrisi). In Vraganiotika, the Serbian army operated a small hospital, and in Chlomos, the military officers’ club.
There used to be a total of 28 Serbian military cemeteries all around Corfu during that era, the biggest ones in Agios Mattheos with over 500 graves in the period of 1916-18. Today, very few cemeteries remain, while individual graves remain all over the island, too many to count.
The biggest mausoleum/ossuary of the Serbian army is situated on Vidos island, across the sea from Corfu town.
Nestled among the green hills of southwest Corfu, Agios Mattheos is one of the island’s most characterful traditional villages. Built amphitheatrically on the slopes of a wooded hill, it is a place of narrow lanes, old stone houses, little squares and traditional cafés, surrounded by olive groves and fragrant woodland.
The village has its roots in the 16th century. According to local legend, the original settlement of Zygonos, on the plain below, was destroyed during the raids of the Ottoman admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa in the 16th century. Its inhabitants fled into the hills, where they established the settlement that eventually became Agios Mattheos.
Above the village stands the Monastery of Pantokrator, reached by a winding road through the wooded slopes. The monastery dates back centuries.
Please note that this is not the more widely known Pantokrator Monastery situated on the island’s highest peak (on Mount Pantokrator).
To get to Pantokrator Monastery near Agios Mattheos, the visitor must follow an uphill path that starts from the village and goes up Agios Mattheos Mountain. The monastery is situated at the top.
Kindly note that it is closed all year, except August 5 and 6, when the Transfiguration of the Savior is celebrated. But it is worth a visit regardless, just for the route and the majestic views across the surrounding countryside and towards the sea.
Near Agios Mattheos, in the area “Dendrila”, there is a cave called “Grava”. There, archaeological discoveries provide evidence of human habitation in the area as far back as the Paleolithic period.
At a short distance from Agios Mattheos lies Gardiki Castle, an impressive 13th-century Byzantine fortress. Its unusual octagonal walls and towers are among the most atmospheric medieval remains in southern Corfu, and its position on a low hill gives a sense of why the site was strategically important.
Beyond the village, the landscape opens towards Lake Korission, one of Corfu’s most important wetlands. The lagoon is separated from the Ionian Sea by a long sweep of sandy beach and dunes, surrounded by cedar-like juniper woodland and rich birdlife.
Nearby Halikounas Beach is particularly beautiful, while the quieter beaches of Paramonas, Prasoudi, Kanouli and Alonaki offer secluded corners of the southwest coast.
We combined our visit with a swim at Halikounas, and I am certainly going back for more. Maybe I’ll brave the walk up Agios Mattheos mountain to the monastery next time 😃
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