Kules Fortress

Koules Fortress is the hallmark of the city of Heraklion. In the Middle Ages it was a defensive fortress, known by different names Castello, Rocca al Mare and Castello a Mare. The current name comes from the Turkish Su Kulesi was given during the Ottoman rule. The fortress was built around 1523-1540 on a small rock, so the area had to be enlarged. For this purpose, mounds of stones and boulders were used, as well as ships sunk with stones, which became the foundation for the breakwater. The shape of the fortress is rectangular, but it is semicircular in the northeast. One of the walls is 6.96 meters thick, while the other three walls at ground level reach 8.70 meters. The interior of the fortress is divided by partitions 1.5 to 3 meters thick. There are open areas on the roof for lighting and ventilation. You can enter the castle through the western entrance. In the Middle Ages, the fortress was carefully guarded and to enter it one had to pass through three gates, which were quickly locked in case of danger. Defensive cannons were placed on the lower level along the perimeter of the walls. During a tour of the fortress you can see a prison, a bakery, a water tank and even a mill. Nowadays, the functions of the fortress are no longer defensive, but rather decorative. The best view of the fortress is at the entrance to the city port.