The town is linked by sea to the port of
Piraeus, to several of the islands of the
Cyclades and the Dodecanese, to Cyprus,
Italy and Israel.

Local and regional buses run between
the town and a variety of destinations,
both within the province and beyond.
History

The town is built on the site of the small
harbour which was the seaport of
Knossos. This small harbour much later
became an important fortified town under
the Arabs, who held it for a period of
over one hundred years (824-961 AD).
They built strong walls to protect it and
surrounded it with a deep moat (from
which it got its name "Chandax" from
the Arabic word "khandak" meaning
moat). During the period of Venetian rule
(1204-1699) it was called Candia, a
name which eventually came to cover
the entire island. This was a period of
prosperity for the town, which was
fortified by its occupiers with another
strong wall, was adorned with a great
number of splendid buildings, fountains,
squares and churches, and a time during
which the arts and literature also
nourished. Then, after 21 years of
close siege, the town finally surrendered
to its new conquerors who, this time,
came from the East: the Turks (1669).

Its name was changed to Megalo Kastro
(Great Castle), its fortifications were
repaired and additions made, but the
town was now plunged into the darkness
of slavery, its prosperity was gone, while
its population was decimated by savage
massacres (1828 and 1898).
In 1913, Herakleion was incorporated
into the free Greek State, together with
the rest of Crete. During the German
occupation its inhabitants organised a
brave resistance movement together
with the other Cretan patriots.

Its spectacular development, during these last decades after the war, resulted in the town's facing, today, all the thorny problems of large modern towns - building anarchy, traffic jams, not enough parks and breathing spaces, neighbourhoods that are becoming impersonal and rundown.
Despite this, however, there are many
corners in this busy capital which bring
to mind memories of its tempestuous past.

The old port: It is to be found on the
left side of the modern port. During the
Venetian period, it was an important
commercial and military centre.

The Venetian walls: These are the most important fortifications of the Venetian period. Today, seven ramparts still stand, as do two of the four gates: the Chania gate on the western side of the castle

On the southernmost end of the precint,
within the walls, is the rampart of Mar-
tinengo and, on a flat hill, the modest
grave ofNikos Kazantzakis, with a plaque
on which are inscribed the words of the
world-famous Cretan writer: "I hope for
nothing, I fear nothing, I am free". The
view from this spot is magnificent.

The Castle or Koules: This was built at
the entrance of the Venetian port in order
to protect it from raids. On its sides can be seen fragments of the carved lions of Saint Mark which used to adorn the wall. The Castle is open to the public and, on the top, an outdoor theatre has been built. The name Koules is a Turkish name. The Venetians called it Rocca al Mare.

The Church of St. Titus: St. Titus is the
patron saint of the island, and the Church is in the square of the same name. It is a
blend of Eastern and Western architectural elements. It was initially built by the Byzantines. After alterations by the Venetians and the Turks - the former used it as a Catholic Cathedral and the latter as a mosque - it was destroyed by the great earthquake of 1856. In 1872 it was rebuilt on its old foundations and later some alterations were made, so that it could again be used as a Greek Orthodox church. This is where the holy relics of St. Titus are kept.

The Cathedral of St. Minas, in Saint
Catherine square. This is a large and im-
pressive church, one of the largest in
Greece. It is cruciform with four straight
pillars, an impressive dome and two very
tall belltowers. At its northwestern comer
stands the old church of Saint Minas and
of the Presentation to the Temple.

The Loggia: a rectangular, two-storey
building, the most elegant of the Venetian
buildings of the town. Today it houses the
Town Hall. It was built between 1626-
1628 by the General Provleptis, Francesco
Morosini, to whom we owe the fountain of
the same name. During the Venetian
period, it was a place of meeting and recreation for the nobility. From its balconies, the Duke used to address the people or view various ceremonies. The building of today is a restoration of the old building, which was destroyed.

The Morosini fountain: It is in the middle of Venizelos square, which is also called
Krini ('Yountain") square. This square was
a version in miniature of the square of
Saint Mark, in Venice, and constituted the centre of Venetian Candia. Here stood im-
pressive administrative buildings as well
as the Duke's palace (Palazzo Ducale), and it was, of course, adorned in keeping with its purpose and importance.

Water for the fountain was brought here
through the aqueduct, which was also
built during the time of Morosini.
Today, the fountain has a central basin,
resting on the backs of four lions. The
water pours into eight intercommunicat-
ing basins decorated whith reliefs depict-
ing scenes from Greek mythology. Initially, a giant statue of the god Poseidon with a trident in his hand, stood in the middle of the fountain, which is why it was called "Fountain of the Giant" (Tsigante).
This statue was probably destroyed in an
earthquake.