Chania
Firka FortressThe ‘Revellino del Porto’ fortress was built by the Venetians from 1620 onwards to protect the entrance to the harbour. In 1645, when the Ottomans conquered Crete, it became a garrison and a prison. This is where its current name comes from: ‘firka’ meant ‘barracks’ in the Turkish of the time. It was not until 1913, when Crete was united with Greece, that the Greek flag was hoisted on a watchtower which is now thronged with tourists.
