Koules

Koules

Heraklion, Crete – Greece.

The Venetian fortress of Koules (1523-1540) dominates the entrance to the Old Port of Heraklion. The Venetians called it the “Sea Fortress” (Castello a Mare or Rocca al Mare), but today it is known by its Turkish name, Koules. It is one of the most familiar and beloved monuments of the city, and the symbol of Heraklion.

The first fortress was probably built on the site of Koules during the Arab period (9th-10th c.), while there is a reference to a tower called the Castellum Comunis at the harbor entrance in the Second Byzantine period (10th-13th c.) The mid-15th century found Heraklion inadequately fortified and the harbor tower, the Byzantine Castellum Comunis, weak and useless for purposes of defence. In 1462 the Venetian Senate approved an ambitious programme of fortification of the city. As part of this project, the harbor tower was demolished in 1523 and replaced by the Koules fortress still standing today. For more than 20 years, this fortress helped to defend the island from Turkish attacks, before actually becoming a Turkish prison for rebelling Cretans.

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© 2010 Jordan Kevrekidis