Fortifications of Heraklion

Byzantine and Arab walls The first fortifications in what is now Heraklion were built by the Byzantine Empire. The city was captured by Arabs in 824, and it became the capital of the Emirate of Crete. At this point, they built a wall of unbaked bricks around the city, and surrounded it by a ditch. The new capital became known as Rabdh al-Khandaq (Trench Castle). After occupying the city, the Ottomans repaired and maintained its fortifications. The bastions were given Turkish names, for example Martinengo Bastion became Giouksek Tabia. The walls were damaged by German aerial bombardment during the Battle of Crete in World War II, but the damage was repaired. The demolition was never carried out, and the walls remain largely intact, being among the best preserved Venetian fortifications in Europe. ==Layout==

The Venetian fortifications of Heraklion consist of a roughly triangular enceinte. The land front has seven bastions: • St. Andrew Bastion • Pantocrator Bastion • Bethlehem Bastion • Martinengo Bastion • Jesus Bastion • Vitturi Bastion • Sampionara Bastion Cavaliers were built on some of the bastions, and the walls had four main gates and three military gates. The entire enceinte was surrounded by a deep ditch and various outworks, including several ravelins, three hornworks and a crownwork. The Fort of St. Demetrius, consisting of a small bastion and two demi-bastions, was built on the hill to the east of the city. ==References==