A few meters east of Fortetsa settlement in Heraklion city, amid a fertile valley with olive and vineyards, we meet a small 7m high tower overlooking the area to the sea. The tower was not defensive, as it was built during the Second World War by locals and was used as an Electric Power Station.
South of Malia rises a small mountain which locals call Kouledes. Its name is taken after the Turkish fortresses (koule) built by the Ottomans to control the fertile plain of Malia. The Turkish forts of Malia had eye contact so as to communicate in case of emergency. Although they have almost been completely destroyed, the existence of so many fortresses in such close distance indicated how important the plane of Malia and the surrounding passages were for the Ottomans.
Malaxa, apart from a village, is a mountainous area, the hills of which block the plains of Kydonia plain from the south. It is a fortified area that rises up opposite Souda Bay, which has several times been a scene of warfare between Crete and its occasional conquers.
Ano Viannos during the Venetian era was the largest village in the province of Belvedere. It was therefore necessary for the Venetians to fortify the area very well. As we can see even today, there are some ruins of a Venetian tower found on the western part of the village, which was also used by the Turks.
Episkopi village is located in Mylopotamos provice, near Perama. There lived the Cretan-Turkish family of Kerimides (Kerimoglou) or Kyrimides. They built this tower there, so as to protect their property.
The tower was first mentioned in a document of 1226 and still stands in very bad condition. It could accommodate 150 people and had a fortified enclosure. It construction reveals its Venetian origins, but it was also used by the Turks.
Inside the Kritsa village, at position Ambela, we meet the ruins of a small medieval tower with one arch still standing. Apparently the tower was used for overseeing the crops of the region, but also for controlling the passage to Kritsa.