History & Heritage
Centuries of Continuity in Corfu
Villa Claudia is a house that tells stories. A historic mansion that has stood quietly for centuries, watching time unfold and generations come and go. Its story is inseparable from the Theotoky family, one of the oldest families in Greece, who settled in Corfu after the Fall of Constantinople in 1453.
From its earliest days, the house has been shaped by presence rather than display, carrying memory through continuity rather than change.
The Theotoky Family
During the 19th century, the house came alive through Spyridon Theotoky and his wife, Jane Digby, Lady Ellenborough — a charismatic figure of the British aristocracy and a passionate gardener. Upon her arrival in Doukades, she planted a cypress tree in the grounds of the house. That tree still stands today, tall and dignified, a living witness to the past and her only memorial in Greece.
Lady Jane filled the mansion with fine silverware and porcelain, bringing warmth, elegance, and a cosmopolitan spirit to the estate.
The mansion later passed to Michail Theotoky, who served twice as Mayor of Corfu. Despite the personal losses that marked the family’s history, the house remained a place of memory and continuity. The portrait of his son, Enrico Theotoky, who tragically lost his life during his military service at the age of twenty-one, still hangs above the fireplace at the entrance — a silent reminder of the lives intertwined with the house.
Shaping the House
At the end of the 19th century, Villa Claudia took the form we recognize today. Georgios Theotoky, brother of Michail and three-time Prime Minister of Greece, undertook the transformation of the mansion.
Between 1899 and 1909, following the architectural plans of Corfiot architect Spyridon Tiligadis, he shaped the house into a symbol of elegance, heritage, and resilience — respecting its past while giving it lasting form.
Public Life & Private Memory
The property remained within the family and later passed to John Theotoky, who served his country in leading political roles.
The house is also linked to other prominent figures of modern Greek history. Spyros Theotoky served twice as Minister of Foreign Affairs and as Minister of Economy, while the family’s cousin, Georges Rallis, spent part of his childhood in the house before later serving Greece as Minister of the Interior.
Throughout these years, Villa Claudia remained both a private residence and a quiet witness to public life.
Restoration & Devotion
In the 1990s, Claudia Theotoky dedicated three years of care and devotion to the complete restoration of the mansion, restoring its former glory and original soul.
Her work marked a turning point in the house’s modern chapter, guided not by reinvention, but by respect for what had always been there.
The Coat of Arms
A Symbol of Memory and Heritage
The coat of arms of Villa Claudia is a quiet narrative of the family’s history and its journey through time.
Set against a blue field — a color symbolizing truth, stability, and enduring loyalty — stands a golden lion. Upright and commanding, it embodies strength, dignity, and the inner resilience that has defined the generations who lived in and loved this house.
In its right paw, the lion holds a sword, a symbol of justice and responsibility. The sword passing through the lion’s head does not speak of defeat, but of transcendence and self-mastery — the strength to endure and move forward even through the most demanding trials.
Above the shield rests a count’s coronet, a reminder of noble lineage not as a display of authority, but as a legacy of duty, service, and historical presence.
Like Villa Claudia itself, the coat of arms bridges past and present, preserving the memory and values of a home that continues to welcome new stories while honoring those that came before.
Today, Villa Claudia is more than a historic mansion. It is a living place of memory and continuity, where past and present coexist, inviting guests to pause, reflect, and become part of a story that continues to unfold.
The name Villa Claudia was chosen as a tribute to Claudia Theotoky, the woman whose dedication and love shaped the house’s modern chapter. It symbolizes continuity, remembrance, and the quiet power of devotion — a reminder that the homes that endure through time are those that have been truly loved.