Heraklion is one of Greece's largest cities and is the economic hub of Crete, if you have found a villa in Crete, it will likely be one of the must-see places to plan a day trip to during your time on the island. While not always orderly or neat, it is picturesque in its own way and is, without a doubt, utterly fascinating. In this city, history is everywhere you look and it is home to some of the most important historical sites and institutions in all of Greece, including the Palace of Knossos and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. If you are interested in the grand and rich historical heritage and the impressive ruins for which Greece is so well-known, it is certainly a representative destination for familiarising yourself with this incredible past. One of the best ways to begin delving into to history of Heraklion is to walk the city's ancient walls.
The walls of Heraklion, also known as the Venetian Walls of Heraklion, are a series of walls and fortifications dotted around the city that have ancient precursors but date in their current form to the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries.
Before the Venetians for whom they are now named even set foot in Heraklion, the first fortifications in the city were built by the Byzantine Empire. Next, after the city was captured by the Arabs in 824 and became the capital of the Emirate of Crete, they circled its limits with a ditch and a wall of unbaked bricks. After several campaigns, the Byzantines eventually managed to recapture Heraklion and built new walls and fortifications of their own, some remains of which can still be found at the city's harbour.
In the early 13th century, Heraklion was taken by the Republic of Venice who continued to use the Byzantine fortifications until the Ottoman Empire became more of a threat. In response to this, the Venetians began construction of new defensive features of their own in 1462. The work took over a century to complete and was done according to designs by the key military architects Michele Sanmicheli and Giulio Savorgnan. Additions and alterations were also made over time.
The fortifications of the Venetians were so successful, however, that they managed to defend the city in a siege that lasted some 21 years (the second longest siege in history) until they were forced to surrender to the Ottomans in 1669. Seeing the value in the city's defensive features, the walls were repaired and maintained under Ottoman rule and have lasted to this day, despite bomb damage during WWII and plans to tear them down afterwards that were later abandoned.
Made up of a roughly triangular enceinte, seven bastions on the land front, a deep ditch, and endless additional defensive features, the Venetian Walls of Heraklion remain largely intact and among the best preserved Venetian fortifications in Europe. Today, their defensive purpose is pretty much non-existent anymore but the walls have become an important tourist attraction. Walking along the walls is free to do and can be done anytime you want, making them any easy and cost-friendly outing for those visiting the city. Additionally, wandering along the walls is a wonderful way to get to know the city, take in some extraordinary views, and start to absorb the rich history of Heraklion, all while getting some fresh air and stretching your legs!
So, if you have found a vacation rental in Crete and you are exploring the fascinating and historic city of Heraklion in Greece, then be sure to climb her ancient walls and to fall back through time for a spell...
Before the Venetians for whom they are now named even set foot in Heraklion, the first fortifications in the city were built by the Byzantine Empire. Next, after the city was captured by the Arabs in 824 and became the capital of the Emirate of Crete, they circled its limits with a ditch and a wall of unbaked bricks. After several campaigns, the Byzantines eventually managed to recapture Heraklion and built new walls and fortifications of their own, some remains of which can still be found at the city's harbour.
In the early 13th century, Heraklion was taken by the Republic of Venice who continued to use the Byzantine fortifications until the Ottoman Empire became more of a threat. In response to this, the Venetians began construction of new defensive features of their own in 1462. The work took over a century to complete and was done according to designs by the key military architects Michele Sanmicheli and Giulio Savorgnan. Additions and alterations were also made over time.
The fortifications of the Venetians were so successful, however, that they managed to defend the city in a siege that lasted some 21 years (the second longest siege in history) until they were forced to surrender to the Ottomans in 1669. Seeing the value in the city's defensive features, the walls were repaired and maintained under Ottoman rule and have lasted to this day, despite bomb damage during WWII and plans to tear them down afterwards that were later abandoned.
Made up of a roughly triangular enceinte, seven bastions on the land front, a deep ditch, and endless additional defensive features, the Venetian Walls of Heraklion remain largely intact and among the best preserved Venetian fortifications in Europe. Today, their defensive purpose is pretty much non-existent anymore but the walls have become an important tourist attraction. Walking along the walls is free to do and can be done anytime you want, making them any easy and cost-friendly outing for those visiting the city. Additionally, wandering along the walls is a wonderful way to get to know the city, take in some extraordinary views, and start to absorb the rich history of Heraklion, all while getting some fresh air and stretching your legs!
So, if you have found a vacation rental in Crete and you are exploring the fascinating and historic city of Heraklion in Greece, then be sure to climb her ancient walls and to fall back through time for a spell...
Photo credit: ElinaTzivara / CC BY-SA 4.0