Records show that Greek-speaking Romaniote Jews (the oldest community of Jews in the Mediterranean, dating to Roman times) lived in Corfu as early as the 12th century and that from the 15th century, Sephardic Jews expelled from Spain and Italy also settled here. Initially, the two communities lived in Campiello (Ovriovouni, as the locals called it) and in the 16th century, they moved to Ovriaki – today’s Jewish quarter, between Velissariou, Agia Sofias and Palaiologou streets, close to the New Fortress.