⭐ 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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The Venetian mansions at Venerato

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The picturesque Venerato village, located 20km from Heraklion, was in the 16th-century the resort of the Venetian lords. It was so pleasant for them stay here, that they compared the village to Venice.

Agriolidis Tower

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Agriolidis was a terrible janissary in Messara plain, who lived during the Greek revolutions of 1821. He resided in a 17th century chateau in the village of Agios Ioannis, near Phaestus, which still survives.

Askyfou Koules

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Askyfou Plateau, about 50km south of Chania city, is located in a strategic position and is formed on the passage that connects the southern shores of Sfakia to the north coasts of Crete. Sfakia did always breed great revolutionaries and the Turks always wanted to control them. Thus, in response to the Cretan Revolution of 1866, they began construct Koules, i.e. small castles, in the most important locations of Sfakia.

Koules of Loutro

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Above Loutro there are still the ruins of the Turkish fortress, Koules, which dominated over the current settlement. The building was built in 1868 and had two towers on west and east sides. It has rectangular shape and some of its walls survive. Outside the walls, there are big tanks surviving.

Castel Paleocastro

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The Venetian fortress of Paliokastro is located 14km west of Heraklion, on the west side of Heraklion Bay. Today, only a part of the walls of the triangular fort remains alive. The fort was built on a big tall rock, near which passes the highway of Heraklion - Chania.

Kastelos Fort at Varipetro

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Kastelos Hill is located 8 km west of the city of Chania and 15 km east of the village Varipetro of Province Cydonia. It is a walled citadel (acropolis) at an altitude of 250m. The hill is considered to have been inhabited since the Minoan Era, to the medieval Times.

Skalia near Zakros

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A small castle was located near the village Sitanos of Sitia Region, namely Skalia. Skalia was a small village with a few residents built atop a mountain slope, where the outer walls of the houses formed a wall that surrounded the village, while from the north it was protected by cliffs.

Modino Mansion at Rogdia

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Although it cannot be classified as a defensive tower, however, it has prevailed with the name of Tower. The tower, which belonged to George and Francesco Modinos, still survives in very good condition. It is attached to the scenic old church of Panagia Rogdia.

Forts

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