437:
1420:
462:
385:
332:
69:
57:
1069:
417:, the city began to expand and many of the inhabitants moved elsewhere in the city. Rethymno's landward fortifications and many houses within the Fortezza were demolished at this point, but the walls of the Fortezza were left intact. At one point, the local prison was housed within the Fortezza.
362:
Although the original plan had been to demolish the old fortifications of
Rethymno and move the inhabitants into the Fortezza, it was too small to house the entire city. The walls along the landward approach to the city were left intact, and the Fortezza became a
367:
housing the
Venetian administration of the city. It was only to be used by the inhabitants of the city in the case of an Ottoman invasion. Over the years, a number of modifications were made to the fortress. Nonetheless, it was never truly secure as it lacked a
399:, an Ottoman force besieged Rethymno, and the city's population took refuge in the Fortezza. Conditions within the citadel deteriorated, due to disease and a lack of food and ammunition. The Venetians surrendered under favourable terms on 13 November.
358:
Construction began on 13 September 1573, and it was complete by 1580. The fortress was built under the master builder
Giannis Skordilis, and a total of 107,142 Cretans and 40,205 animals took part in its construction.
347:. Since Rethymno had been sacked, it was decided that new fortifications needed to be built to protect the city and its harbour. The new fortress, which was built on the
930:
448:
St
Nicolas Bastion – the demi-bastion at the east end of the fortress. It contains a Venetian-era building which was possibly originally a storehouse or laboratory.
710:
444:
The
Fortezza of Rethymno has an irregular plan, and its walls have a total length of 1,307 m (4,288 ft). The walls contain the following demi-bastions:
1269:
247:
in the 16th century, and was captured by the
Ottomans in 1646. By the early 20th century, many houses were built within the citadel. These were demolished after
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798:
666:
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outside the main gate. They also built some houses for the garrison and the city's administration, and they converted the cathedral into a
820:
1057:
454:
St Elias
Bastion – the demi-bastion at the south end of the fortress. It contains the Erofyli open-air theatre, which was opened in 1993.
776:
473:, which now serves as the Archaeological Museum of Rethymno. Two smaller gates are located in the west and north sides of the fortress.
1035:
539:
1461:
1018:
596:
952:
618:
421:
134:
251:, leaving only a few historic buildings within the Fortezza. Today, the citadel is in good condition and is open to the public.
1299:
340:
938:
486:
the House of the Rector, which was the residence of the governor of the province of
Rethymno. Only its prisons have survived.
469:
The fort's main gate is located on the east side, between St
Nicolas and St Paul Bastions. It is protected by an Ottoman-era
319:, and were completed in around 1570. These fortifications were not strong enough to withstand a large assault, and when
315:. On 8 April 1540, a line of fortifications began to be built around the city. The walls were designed by the architect
718:
307:
Under
Venetian rule, a small harbour was built in Rethymno, which became the third most important city on Crete after
425:
644:
806:
674:
1094:
1050:
451:
St Paul Bastion – the demi-bastion at the southeast end of the fortress. It is also known as Santa Maria Bastion.
696:
850:
894:
1224:
1204:
413:
By the early 20th century, many residential buildings were located in the Fortezza. Following the end of
1065:
1043:
982:
396:
420:
Large-scale restoration work has been under way since the early 1990s. The Fortezza is managed by the
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1004:
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the churches of St Theodore and St Catherine, which were both built in the late 19th century.
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289:
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The Ottomans did not make any major changes to the Fortezza, except the construction of a
8:
1344:
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1314:
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497:
388:
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244:
175:
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the Council Building, which housed part of the Venetian administration of Rethymno.
277:
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hill, was designed by the military engineer Sforza Pallavicini according to the
344:
1419:
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the Mosque of Sultan Ibrahim, which was formerly the Cathedral of St Nicolas.
461:
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86:
652:
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280:
established a fortified settlement to the east of the hill. It was called
1089:
1084:
457:
St Lucas Bastion – the demi-bastion at the southwest end of the fortress.
331:
68:
1384:
1289:
1184:
1179:
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56:
483:
a building near the mosque, which was possibly the Bishop's residence.
1219:
352:
343:
to the Ottomans in 1571, Crete became the largest remaining Venetian
308:
273:
269:
193:
1359:
424:, and it is open to the public. The Ottoman ravelin now houses the
320:
232:
39:
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A number of buildings are located within the Fortezza, including:
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403:
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119:
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in the beginning of the 13th century. After Crete fell to the
1389:
323:
attacked in 1571, the Ottomans captured and sacked the city.
236:
43:
410:. The fort remained in use until the early 20th century.
326:
268:(meaning "Old Castle"), which was the site of ancient
61:
View of Rethymno with the Fortezza in the background
1355:
Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes
391:, which was originally the Cathedral of St. Nicolas
288:and two gates. The fortifications were repaired by
379:
638:
636:
1443:
633:
571:
567:
565:
563:
561:
559:
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1051:
997:"The complex of the North Gate storage rooms"
777:"The Central Gate of the Fortezza Fortress"
554:
496:The fortress also contains an armoury, two
276:. Between the 10th and 13th centuries, the
1452:Buildings and structures completed in 1580
1058:
1044:
465:View of the walls near St. Nicolas Bastion
909:"Holy Temple of St. Theodore of Trihinas"
689:"The Building at the St. Nicolas Bastion"
931:"Fortezza, the church of Agia Ekaterini"
460:
435:
383:
330:
667:"The Archaeological Museum of Rethymno"
264:The Fortezza is built on a hill called
1444:
1300:Monastery of Saint John the Theologian
534:
532:
1472:16th-century fortifications in Greece
1039:
594:
572:Kivernitaki, Maria; Samatas, Yannis.
296:, the settlement became known as the
376:, and the ramparts were rather low.
327:Construction and later Venetian rule
711:"Fortezza, the Santa Maria Bastion"
529:
13:
14:
1483:
507:
426:Archaeological Museum of Rethymno
395:On 29 September 1646, during the
1462:Venetian fortifications in Crete
1418:
1067:
642:
304:, which both mean "old castle."
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380:Ottoman rule and recent history
73:Map of the Fortezza of Rethymno
725:
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681:
659:
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422:Ministry of Culture and Sports
135:Ministry of Culture and Sports
1:
619:"Die Belagerung von Rethymno"
601:Ministry of Culture and Sport
523:
259:
1095:St. George's Castle, Preveza
500:, storage rooms and several
7:
1205:Fortifications of Heraklion
821:"The Mosque of Ibrahim Han"
799:"The Archaeological Museum"
625:(in German). Archived from
16:Citadel in Rethymno, Greece
10:
1488:
755:"The Bastion of St. Lucas"
603:(in Greek). Archived from
397:Fifth Ottoman–Venetian War
254:
1427:
1416:
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865:"The House of the Rector"
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335:Main gate of the Fortezza
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1375:Fortifications of Rhodes
1265:Koules (Castello a Mare)
1200:Fortifications of Chania
595:Valia, Angelaki (2012).
389:Mosque of Sultan Ibrahim
353:Italian bastioned system
1433:List of gates in Greece
733:"The 'Erofyli' Theatre"
574:"Fortezza in Rethymnon"
540:"The Fortezza fortress"
227:for "fortress") is the
100:35.372000°N 24.471000°E
1105:Castle of Saint Andrew
887:"The Council Building"
466:
441:
392:
336:
243:. It was built by the
1410:Walls of Thessaloniki
1325:New Navarino fortress
1270:Larissa Castle, Argos
1175:Didymoteicho Fortress
464:
439:
387:
334:
1240:Kastellos (Kritinia)
1190:Fortezza of Rethymno
1110:Angelokastro (Corfu)
721:on 18 February 2014.
649:fortified-places.com
284:, and it had square
204:Cretan War (1645–69)
105:35.372000; 24.471000
1345:Old Navarino castle
1340:Old Fortress, Corfu
1320:New Fortress, Corfu
1029:on 16 October 2015.
1007:on 16 October 2015.
985:on 16 October 2015.
963:on 16 October 2015.
941:on 4 February 2014.
919:on 16 October 2015.
897:on 16 October 2015.
875:on 16 October 2015.
853:on 16 October 2015.
831:on 16 October 2015.
809:on 16 October 2015.
787:on 16 October 2015.
765:on 16 October 2015.
743:on 16 October 2015.
699:on 16 October 2015.
677:on 21 October 2014.
550:on 16 October 2015.
514:Fortezza di Rettimo
498:gunpowder magazines
345:overseas possession
96: /
1315:Castle of Mytilene
975:"Powder Magazines"
655:on 19 August 2015.
467:
442:
393:
337:
317:Michele Sanmicheli
294:Republic of Venice
176:Republic of Venice
131:Controlled by
1439:
1438:
1140:Astypalaia Castle
1115:Antimachia Castle
1074:Castles in Greece
843:"Episcope Palace"
607:on 26 March 2013.
597:"Fortezza Castle"
440:St. Lucas Bastion
209:
208:
185:1580–20th century
1479:
1422:
1335:Nerantzia Castle
1330:Nafpaktos Castle
1260:Kazarma fortress
1120:Arkessini Castle
1072:
1071:
1060:
1053:
1046:
1037:
1036:
1031:
1030:
1025:. Archived from
1023:tour.rethymno.gr
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1003:. Archived from
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981:. Archived from
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959:. Archived from
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937:. Archived from
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871:. Archived from
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827:. Archived from
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805:. Archived from
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783:. Archived from
781:tour.rethymno.gr
773:
767:
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761:. Archived from
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739:. Archived from
737:tour.rethymno.gr
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723:
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717:. Archived from
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695:. Archived from
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685:
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673:. Archived from
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651:. Archived from
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584:on 1 April 2015.
580:. Archived from
569:
552:
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546:. Archived from
544:tour.rethymno.gr
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290:Enrico Pescatore
222:
126:Site information
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1467:Defunct prisons
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1395:Skiathos Castle
1370:Platamon Castle
1310:Mithymna Castle
1305:Miryna Fortress
1280:Livadeia Castle
1250:Kassiopi Castle
1245:Kalamata Castle
1230:Ioannina Castle
1195:Firkas Fortress
1160:Castle of Chios
1150:Castle of Bouka
1130:Aptera Fortress
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629:on 5 June 2009.
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282:Castrum Rethemi
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1400:Trikala Castle
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1380:Riniasa Castle
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1210:Frangokastello
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1170:Cythera Castle
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1135:Arcadia Castle
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1350:Parga Castle
1275:Leros Castle
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1145:Assos Castle
1027:the original
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249:World War II
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200:Battles/wars
159:Site history
141:Open to
91:24°28′15.6″E
88:35°22′19.2″N
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1225:Heptapyrgio
1125:Arta Castle
1090:Acronauplia
1085:Acrocorinth
671:rethymno.gr
349:Paleokastro
266:Paleokastro
182:In use
103: /
79:Coordinates
1446:Categories
1385:Rio Castle
1290:Monemvasia
1185:Exomvourgo
1180:Eleutherae
1165:Chlemoutsi
645:"Rethymno"
524:References
278:Byzantines
260:Background
1430:See also:
1220:Glarentza
309:Heraklion
274:acropolis
270:Rhithymna
245:Venetians
194:Limestone
190:Materials
167:1573–1580
151:Condition
1457:Rethymno
1360:Palamidi
1235:Izzeddin
953:"Armory"
502:cisterns
374:outworks
233:Rethymno
221:Φορτέτζα
213:Fortezza
40:Rethymno
31:Φορτέτζα
24:Fortezza
1285:Mystras
516:map by
471:ravelin
404:ravelin
365:citadel
255:History
229:citadel
225:Italian
223:, from
120:Citadel
432:Layout
408:mosque
313:Chania
286:towers
241:Greece
154:Intact
48:Greece
1390:Rogoi
370:ditch
237:Crete
217:Greek
164:Built
44:Crete
372:and
311:and
211:The
116:Type
300:or
272:'s
235:in
146:Yes
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