⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗

Crete in ancient times was not threatened by external enemies. The first external enemies of the island were the Romans. Therefore, till then, the fortification of cities was focused on internal enemies. After the Roman Empire (67 BC-330 AD) things changed radically. Crete became a province of the Eastern Roman Empire, which later transformed to the Byzantine Empire. At the same time, several civilizations started developing around the Mediterranean Sea.

Thus, Crete, because of its natural and geopolitical position, acquired great importance and became an "apple of discord" for the civilizations of the Mediterranean. During the First Byzantine Period (330-824) things looked calm. For that reason, combined with the internal and external problems of the Empire, the island was on the fringes of the Byzantine interest. Thus, pirate raids increased and the seaside monasteries were fortified to protect themselves.

Under these circumstances, the first storm on the island was imminent. The Saracen pirates managed to easily occupy Crete in 824, that was almost defenseless. They settled for 140 years, till 961, during which they fortified the largest town, today’s Heraklion. After continuous failures to reoccupy Crete, Nikiforos Fokas managed to liberate the island from pirates in 961. Then, the Byzantines built new walls, which managed to keep invaders away for a few more centuries.

In 1206, Crete passed into the hands of the Genoese, who immediately gave particular importance to the fortification of the island. Within a few years the fortified three castles and 12 fortresses, but still the Venetians managed to occupy the island in 1209. The Venetian Era in Crete lasted for 4.5 centuries and was mainly dependant on the colossal fortification structures. The best Venetian engineers built the Great Castle of Candia (Heraklion). The Turks managed to take over Candia in 1669 after 22 years (!) of besieging and immediately started restoring the Venetian Forts and built a lot of small fortresses across the Cretan Territory, called Koules. The Turks took care of their forts till the end of their presence on the island.

Even today, visitors can get an idea of what the fortified cities of Crete were like, as the walls are still in excellent condition. The impressive castles in Chania, Rethymnon and Heraklion and the fortresses on the islands of Souda, Gramvousa, Spinalonga are but a few samples of Cretan fort architecture.

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Lagouvardi Tower

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Southeast of the Monastery of St. George Epanosifis, till 1671, there was the settlement of Livadia. The village was a fief of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which was leased to various lords of the area. Two names of the leasees that have survived in time are George Dalaporta (1332) and Stephen Foscarini (1450).

Raftis Koules

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At an altitude of 705m, between the village Ano Moulia and the ruined village of Raftis, at a point that controls the valley of Messara, in 1866, Avni Pasha built a large Koules for controlling the passage to Messara and to protect Raftis, which was a Muslim village.

Timios Stavros church and fort

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Between Loutro Sfakion and the famous beach of Glyka Nera, at Perlovakia, we meet the white brushed chapel of the Holy Cross (Timios Stavros) where a big feast takes place on September 14th every year.

Syngelos Tower at Kaloniktis

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Between the villages of Ano Varsamonero, Kaloniktis, Ano Malaki and Kato Malaki, at an area full of oaks and ancient olive trees, still stands the ruined Venetian Mansion of Syngelos. Apparently this building was used for controlling and overlooking the region by its owner during the Venetian period or later.

Roka Fortress

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The fortress of Rokka is built on the steep hill of Trouli above the village of Rokka in the province of Kissamos. It is a fortress of the Byzantine period that was probably built after the liberation of Crete by Nicephorus Phocas in 961 at the site of a Roman fort.

Malathyros Fort

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A steep cliff rises above the village of Malathyros, on which the Byzantines built a fortress to control the province of Kissamos. Ascent is possible from Malathyros. The fortress had a double fortification wall reaching a wall width of 2.30 meters and 12 semicircular fortification towers, while traces of cisterns and other buildings survive.

Towers of Akrotiri Cape

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In the area of Akrotiri Cape, near Chania, the Turks had built two towers towards protecting and controlling the wider area. The first was built in Kounoupidiana area (near the Tombs of Venizelos), while the second was built in Sternes position (overlooking Souda Bay). Apart from them, there were several other fortified chateaus, like the tower of Mouzouras.

Tower of Mehmet Aga Genitsaris in Kaina

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In Kaina village of Apokoronas Province lived a tremendous janissary named Mehmet Aga Genitsaris. He came in Crete from Tunis in Tunisia and was a descendant of Ali, a commander of the Turkish army that arrived in Crete through Monastery of Gonia shores in 1645.

Forts

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