Souda Castle – Chania

At the entrance of the large bay of Souda, there are two small islands, which controlled the movement of ships to and from the large natural port. On the larger of the two islands, the Venetians decided to build a strong fortress to protect the gulf from enemy and pirate ships.

The building started in 1570 and was completed in 1573. For its construction, they employed the most modern fortification techniques of the time. The fortress was equipped with 44 cannons and remained invincible, under Venetian rule, for half a century after the occupation of Crete by the Ottomans. The walls of the fortress surrounded it in its entirety and alternated, at strategic points, with strong bastions. Inside there were tanks for its water supply, a metropolis, ammunition depots, a windmill, and also the loggia for the Venetians, a meeting point where men gathered to discuss.

During the siege by the Turks, the water supply to the fortress was threatened. Fortunately, a large Turkish volley landed and broke a large rock and revealed a source of water. While the whole of Crete had surrendered to the Turks, the fortress of Souda was still defending itself. The steep shores of the small island and its strong walls made it invincible, although the siege was getting tighter and the living conditions of the besieged were miserable. It managed to hold out for almost half a century and was finally handed over to the Turks in 1715. Today, only a few elements of its Venetian architectural features are preserved and what we see are mainly the reconstructions and repairs that occurred under the Ottomans. The island officially became part of Greece, after the establishment of the Cretan State and the union of Crete with Greece in 1913. The island would go on to play an important role during subsequent battles in World War II when more than 25,000  ANZCA soldiers, from New Zealand and Australia disembarked in the bay of Souda.

Souda Bay is still an active naval base. In the past visitors were prohibited from visiting the area, but in recent years it is possible to secure transportation a few times a week from the port of Souda.