Old Stones and Sunshine: A Day in Heraklion, Crete, Greece

The Greek Flag on the Venetian Fort
This is Crete: blue skies, a killer September sun, and layers of history everywhere you look!

Wooden Boat on the Waterfront
The old Venetian port is an eclectic mix of ancient and modern: considered a historical landmark, an old wooden boat sits in the green space near the marina.

Souvenir Shop
Nestled in the breakwater near my first bus stop, vendors take advantage of the countless tourists that walk the waterfront.

Koules Fortress
Built in the 16th-century, Koules Fortress stands as monument to Heraklion’s Venetian past.

Venetian Walls
I hopped off the bus a short distance away from the waterfront – along the western edge of the fortified walls built around the old centre by the Venetians in the 16th century.

Inscription over the Jesus Gate – Kenourgia Porta – New Gate
The year here is 1580, and I think the inscription honours John Mocenigo, the Proconsul (Governor) of the city-state at that time.

Old Bricks and New Growth
Heraklion’s walls, armaments, and other fortifications, were designed by military architect and urban planner, Michele Sanmicheli (1484-1559) of Verona. Although requiring repairs after earthquakes, age, and modern warfare, the walls withstood against the second longest siege in history – finally falling to the Ottomans after 21 years in 1669. The sections  that remain today are still impressive.

View from the Wall
From the top of the wall, you can see where the old city meets the new.

Tunnel in the Wall

Fountain of the Tekke of the “Three-Men Order” (Üçleria)
On the other hand, the 18th century ablution fountain in Renaissance Park has numerous names: for example, it has been called the Fountain of the Joint (The Hookah Lounge) and the Ottoman Fountain of the Tekke (a monastery of Dervishes).

Holy Church of Agios Andreas
Across the road, we jump ahead a century or two, …

Church Bell
… to a little Greek Orthodox chapel.

Bust of a Local Dignitary
Some of the public art is identified only in Greek, so I have no clue!

Doors in the Wall near the Kainouria Porta
While they are called the Venetian Walls, original sections (mostly lost now) were built by the Byzantines who occupied the area for hundreds of years before the Venetians arrived. Subsequently, sections were replaced by the Turks.

Hercules – Heracles
There are different stones and details everywhere you look. Heraklion is named for Hercules, who reputedly came to Crete to perform the seventh of his labours. He is honoured in the walls near the Kainouria Porta – the New Gate.

Gate Pantocrator – Chania Porta
Although there are only four arched city gates (portals) through the old walls, they all took on different names over the years, making it feel like there are many more!

Morozini Fountain
Much later, back in the centre of the city, I go in search of the city’s famous fountain. In the middle of Eleftheriou Venizelou Square – more commonly known as Lions Square – is the marble fountain built in 1629. Its purpose was to bring water from the mountains into city; its four lions are an enduring symbol of Venetian power.

The Municipal Gallery
The civic buildings combine …

Church of Agios (Saint) Titos
The Cathedral of Saint Titus (Hagios Titos) was originally built as a mosque in 1869, and was converted to an Orthodox Church in 1925. It is dedicated to dedicated to the apostle Titus, the first bishop of Crete.

Candles in the Church
The interior is dark, and smells of smoke and incense.

Inside the Church of Agios Titos
Ornately carved wood surrounds the Christian icons at the altar.

Koules Fortress
Back at the waterfront, I make a visit to the Castello a Mare – known today by its Turkish name of Koules. Built on the site of previous fortifications, this Venetian fortress was finished in 1540.

Inside Koules Fortress
The complex seems incredibly solid – although it has recently undergone extensive renovation, so who knows what is original and what isn’t!

From the Battlements
The interior is quite plain, but the battlements afford unencumbered views …

Boats on the Harbour
… in all directions – especially over the marina and city.

Flag on the Walls

Old Stones
The fort was armed with cannons in 1630.

Looking out Old Windows
Today, windows look out over the two kilometre (1.2 mile) promenade that serves as a recreational sea walk and a functional break-water.

Tourist Train
Back on the waterfront, I spotted the charming little train that circuits the old city.

Pirate Ship in the Harbour
Crete’s location in the middle of the Aegean Sea, within striking distance of both Europe and Anatolia, has made it attractive to pirates over the years. In the ninth century, it became home to Arab Moors from Spain, who made Heraklion (Chandax) the principal base of what has been called a Pirate Emirate. The celebrated Barbary corsairs, brothers Aruj and Chayrad’din, collectively known as the Pirate Barbarossa, were regular visitors to the city, and reputedly had hideouts nearby. Today, modernised ‘pirate ships’ serve as tourist boats.

Heraklion Lighthouse
My last impression, as I leave the city, is of the lighthouse at the end of the seawall that shelters the old Heraklion harbour.