Xceltrip

The Fortress of Koules in Heraklion Crete : The Venetian Castle of Heraklion is called Koules, which means fortress in Turkish. It is an impressive fortress that surrounds the harbor of Heraklion, Crete. The Koules Castle is a massive fortress with two storeys that used to guard the entry to the port. The Castle was constructed by the Venetians in the early 13th century when they conquered the town. The earliest description of the Koules Venetian Castle exists in the work of the Florentine monk Cristoforo Buondelmonti in 1429. The architecture of the Castle is the typical Venetian architectural style. The construction was such that the walls of the Castle could protect the breakwater of the harbor. The Castle was made of stones. The ground floor has a vaulted roof with broad fanlight. Today the Koules Venetian Castle has been cleaned and restored many times. It is visited by thousands of people every year and consists of the trademark of Heraklion Town . One more inc...

Crete is the largest island of Greece with a variety of terrain: the coast is covered with numerous beaches with fine sand, such as Elafonisi, and in the inner regions rise mountain ranges, including Lefka Ori, ("White Mountains"). Next to the highest mountain of this ridge, Ida, is the entrance to the Idea cave, in which Zeus was born according to Greek mythology. In the capital of Crete, Heraklion, you should visit the famous Archaeological Museum with a collection of Minoan art and Knossos - a city founded in the Bronze Age. Thanks to the wide variety of local infrastructure, everyone can find entertainment. No matter what your wealth is, there is a place in Crete both in a luxury hotel and in a campsite. Note that Crete does not have its own volcano. However, in close proximity is Santorini (about 130 km), the eruption of which once led to the formation of a tsunami that hit the island. This event is one of the most tragic in the history of Crete. Howe...