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Fortress · Rethymno, Creta
Fortezza de Rethymno
The Venetian fortress atop Paleokastro hill, built between 1573 and 1580, with 1.3 km of ramparts, the mosque of Sultan Ibrahim in the middle and views over the old town and the sea.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Fortezza de Rethymno
The Fortezza dominates Rethymno from the top of Paleokastro hill, where the acropolis of the ancient city once stood. The Venetians built it between 1573 and 1580, after the pirate Uluç Ali sacked the town in 1571, to serve as a refuge for the population in case of attack. It has a star shape, with 1,307 metres of walls and four bastions, but it proved too small to shelter all the inhabitants, who remained in the lower town.
Inside, the largest building is the mosque of Sultan Ibrahim, with an 11-metre-diameter dome, built by the Ottomans in 1646 on the site of the cathedral of São Nicolau after they took the fortress. Also surviving are the Venetian rector's house, with the prisons, the council building, two powder magazines, cisterns, storehouses and the small churches of São Teodoro and Santa Catarina. On the bastion of Santo Elias the open-air theatre Erofili operates, hosting concerts in summer.
The walk along the walls makes a complete circuit, with the old town on one side, with its minarets, and the sea on the other. The main entrance is on the east side, protected by an Ottoman bastion.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
One to two hours.
Best time
At opening time, in the morning, or in the last two hours before closing, when the heat eases and the light falls over the town. In the middle of a summer day there is no shade on the walls. Check winter opening times, which are shorter.
How to get there
It stands on the top of the hill west of the old town, about a 10-minute uphill walk from the Rimondi fountain or from the port. The entrance is on the east side, facing the town.
Tip
Bring water and a hat: the walls are exposed. Go into the mosque of Sultan Ibrahim to see the dome from the inside. In summer, check the program at the Erofili theatre, because watching a concert inside the fortress is a different experience.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Fortezza de Rethymno
What is inside the Fortezza of Rethymno?
The mosque of Sultan Ibrahim, with a large dome, the remains of the rector's house and the prisons, small churches, magazines, cisterns and the walls with four bastions. In summer there are concerts in the Erofili theatre.
How long does a visit to the Fortezza take?
About one to two hours to walk the walls and enter the buildings. The climb up from the old town takes around 10 minutes.
Why does the Fortezza have a mosque?
Why did the Ottomans take the fortress in 1646 and replace the cathedral of São Nicolau with the mosque of Sultan Ibrahim, which still stands?