October 31, 2023

A 4C’S Student’s Adventures in Greece: Part 3

by Dawn Christakis

I used to think history was just a bunch of boring facts and stories that got forgotten in an old textbook. When I was a high schooler in Greece, I used to pass by a castle every day on my way to school, hardly giving it a second glance. It was just a feature of the landscape, an old-fashioned building from a past time. Leaving my homeland left me with a deep sense of longing. I found myself missing it in a way I had never expected.

I was able to take a closer look at the castle during my recent return to Greece. The castle of Kales is now a tourist attraction. It was under construction, so it was hard to see all its beauty. It’s a great visit destination, especially when it’s open to the public. It’s located in the town of Lerapetra on the southeastern part of the island of Crete. Passing by the castle made me feel like I was a tourist, since I didn’t know anything about its history.

The castle of Kales was built by the Venetians in the 13th century to protect the city and port of Lerapetra (a city of Crete) from pirates and other threats. In 1508, it was destroyed by an earthquake and the Ottoman invasions. The damages were not fully repaired, because they were very serious and there wasn't enough money to cover it. When Lerapetra fell into the hands of Ottomans in 1647, the castle was repaired. Since that period, it has been known by the name of Kales, which is derived from the Ottoman term koules, which means tower. The Turks also built a larger castle at Lerapetra, as well as walls surrounding the city, which were torn down by enthusiastic people after liberation from the Turks. Only a few traces of this castle remain today.

Castle of Kales. (Dawn Christakis)

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