The small island of Panagia, whose name means “Holy Virgin” in Greek, is located just a few hundred meters from the coast of Parga. The island takes its name from the small church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. According to local legend, an icon of the Virgin Mary repeatedly disappeared from the old church in Parga, only to be found each time on Panagia. The locals interpreted this as a sign and decided to build a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary on the island.
In addition to the small church, the remains of a small French fortification dating back to 1808 can be found at the highest point of the island. The French built it to better control a part of the bay that could not be easily monitored from the large Venetian fortress above Parga.
The Venetian Fortress rises above Parga and its harbor, preserving the memory of the town’s turbulent past. The first fortification on this site dates back to the 11th century, while during their rule in the 15th and 16th centuries, the Venetians significantly expanded and strengthened it in order to protect Parga and control access to the bay.
