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Just out of the Venetian walls of Heraklion city, you will find the well preserved Martinengo Bastion. It is one of the six arrow shaped bastions of the walls, built in the 16th century to protect the old city from barbarians, pirates, Ottoman invaders Saracens. The Martinengo bastion, is the largest one and was designed by Micheli Sanmicheli.
Outside the walls of the Heraklion city, took place one of the longest sieges in the European history, when the Ottomans finally overran Crete in the year 1648.
The garrison at Heraklion held out for 21 years, when finally, general Francesco Morosini surrendered the city in September of 1669. The general was allowed to sail home to Venice, taking with him the city’s archives and precious relics, as the skull of Saint Titos, which was returned in 1966.
Today the Martinengo Bastion, has one of the best views of the old city, as it is the highest point of the Venetian wall. In the pilgrims of Martinengo, you can enjoy the wonderful view and also visit the burial place of the well known writer and scholar Nikos Kazantzakis.
