Firkas Fortress in the Old Town

At the northwestern end of the Venetian Port of Chania we find the fortress Firkas which was built to protect the entrance of the port. The fortress was also the seat of the military commander of the city. Inside there were barracks and ammunition depots.

In the west wing the buildings are arranged on two floors while in the center of the courtyard there is a large tank that collected water from the roofs. During the years of Ottoman rule, Firkas was used as a barracks but also as a prison, while in our time the anniversary of December 1, the date of the union of Crete with Greece in 1913, is commemorated, with the corresponding ceremonies of hoisting the Greek flag.