Castles in Sfakia

Askifou
The ruins of a fortress constructed by the Turkish during the Cretan Revolution (1866-1869) can be found on a hill in the Askifou Tableland.

Chora Sfakion
Chora Sfakion is a coastal village that was established on a small hill by the sea. The Venetians are thought to have given the settlement its name, when they built a small fortress on a low hill called Kasteli at the end of the 15th century. The primary purpose of this fortress was to protect the region from pirate attacks.

Fragokastelo
This castle, along with the one in Hora Sfakion are the latest castles built by the Venetians. The construction of this castle began in 1371 as part of their efforts to control the rebellious people of Sfakia and defend against the pirates who ruled over the Mediterranean Sea. Initially, it was named "the castle of Agios Nikitas" due to its location near the small church of the same name. However, locals have referred to it as Fragokastelo ever since. The castle's construction was delayed by the people of Sfakia, led by six brothers from Patsianos village, who destroyed at night what was built during the day. The Venetians ultimately captured and hanged the six brothers, four from the castle's corner keeps and two from the central gate. While it is suspected that the building materials for the castle were sourced from a nearby ancient city, this has not been definitively confirmed.