Rethymno is the third bigger city of Crete and it lies in the center of the island between Heraklion and Chania. The old town of Rethymno was almost entirely built by the Venetians during the Venetian occupancy which took place from the 13th until the 17th century. In the 17th century the Turks took over Rethymno for over 200 years and they affected the architecture of the town in their own way. Nowadays the old town consists of many monuments and museums any traveler must visit during their holidays. Here is some of the most important sightseeing that we recommend:
- Fortezza Castle
Fortezza is a big castle located on Paleocastro hill, next to the old town of Rethymno. The Venetians built this castle between 1573 and 1580 in order to protect the town from pirates and other enemies. The castle can be visited during the day time and it offers amazing views of the town and the sea. Every summer many interesting events, concerts and art exhibitions take place in the castle.
- Venetian Harbor and Egyptian Lighthouse
Visit the Venetian Harbor, enjoy your coffee or meal in one of the many cafés or restaurants that are located there and admire the impressive Egyptian Lighthouse.
- Rimondi Fountain
The Rimondi Fountain is located at Petyxaki square in the heart of the Old Town of Rethymno. You cannot visit Rethymno and miss passing from Rimondi Fountain! The fountain was built in 1626 by the city’s commander Rimondi from whom it took its name. It consists by three lion heads from where drinking water is still running today.
- Loggia of Rethymno
The Loggia of Rethymno was originally built in the 16th century possibly by the famous Veronese engineer Michele Sanmicheli. The Venetian nobility used Loggia as a meeting point where they discussed trade and politics. Even these days the locals use Loggia as a meeting point. When the Turks conquered Rethymno the Loggia was converted in a mosque and a minaret was built on the west side of the building. The minaret was demolished in 1930.