When we first arrived in Crete and stayed in Rethymno, we received a city map from the hotel and the first thing the girl from the reception circled was the Fortezza. I have read about it on several blogs and websites and that is a must see at sunset. And this is what we did 😊. We spent our last evening of vacation visiting the citadel and it was the most beautiful sunset I have seen so far.

Fortezza of Rethymno (Φορτέτζα in Greek, from the Italian word for fortress) was built by the Venetians in the 16th century on the hill of Paleokastro (Old Castle), where the ancient site of Rhithymna’s acropolis used to be. It was designed as a defense fortress and fortified after the Ottomans’ sack of Rethymno in 1571. The old fortress was fortified and used as headquarters of the Venetian administration of the city. The inhabitants of Rethymno could use it only in case of an Ottoman invasion or any other threat that came from the sea, as the city had the 3rd most important harbour after Heraklion and Chania.

As the main threat in the Aegean area was the continuous expansion of the Ottoman empire, Rethymno and Fortezza were not spared. During the Fifth Venetian-Ottoman war, on 29th of September 1646, the city of Rethymno was besieged and the population took refuge in Fortezza. Since we are talking about the 17th century, conditions within its walls started to deteriorate rapidly, mostly due to diseases and lack of food and ammunition – remember that hygiene was not so popular back then, toilets were used by everyone and the most advanced form of medicine were concoctions and cataplasms from plants. This forced the Venetians to surrender under favourable terms on the 13th of November 1646, after almost 2 months of siege.

Today, the citadel is in good condition and it can be visited. It has an irregular plan and 4 demi-bastions and also a number of buildings such as: the Sultan Ibrahim Mosque, formerly the Cathedral of St. Nicholas,

 a building near it, which was probably the bishop’s house, the house of the rector (only the prisons have survived), the council building and the churches of St. Theodore and St Catherine. It also has an armoury, two gunpowder magazines, storage rooms and several cisterns.

 It is also used as an event venue, as it has a small amphitheater and the buildings inside are used as art galleries. 

I loved this place so much, that I went there twice. At the end of September, when Crete is all scorched by the summer heat, but this also gives it a wonderful chromatic, combined with the sunset colours. And also in March, therefore the green grass and poppies in the pictures.

Walk on the walls, listen to the nature (in the summer you will hear the cicadas), admire the different views from each demi-bastion and corner. For example, you can see the city

 or the sea. 

Walk through hundreds of years of history, listen to your own footsteps inside the mosque (its acoustic is impressive). 

Don’t rush. Just enjoy it!

Good to know before you go:

· It is open daily, from 10-20 – during the summer months, last admission is at 19:15

· There are no parking spaces available near the fortress. You can leave the car in the parking lot next to the central bus station and walk

· Entry fee is 4E. Depending on your luck, you might be there on a free entry day 😊

· Inside there is a small shop with souvenirs (overpriced, btw) and a kiosk with snacks and drinks

· Toilets are next to the entrance. IMPORTANT! You mush have a 50 eurocents coin, as you have to pay for its use! 

· Wear comfy shoes. The citadel area has only a few paved alleys, which connect the main buildings

· Expect to spend some time here. A full visit at normal pace can take up to 2hrs.

· It is very well signaled and easy to spot. 

· If you plan to visit during summer months, go as early as possible, or in the evening. Otherwise wear a hat and a lot of sunscreen. There is little shadow and it’s on top of a hill.

· Locals use it as a place for relaxation and also to walk their dogs

· It can be crowded at sunset, as it’s a romantic place and locals go there as well.

· Do not disturb the cats 😊