Anna Giakoumaki

  Do you know that…  - Spinalonga’s history begins in prehistoric times?  - Spinalonga protected and guarded the harbor of ancient Olous or Olounda, modern-day Elounda?  - Elounda bay has shallow, salty waters, and Venetians built salt-pans, a particularly lucrative enterprise?  - Venetians were selling salt in the Mediterranean, that’s why the salt-pans at Elounda should be protected?  - Spinalonga’s fortress is a fortified complex including high double walls and stern towers, and constructed by the Venetians because they had to defend their salt-pans at Elounda?  - In 1630 it had 35 cannons, essentially meaning that it had been turned into an island fortress with great firepower?  - Venice managed to hang onto Spinalonga even after the fall of Heraklion to the Turks in 1669, keeping it in its possession, along with Gramvoussa and Souda, until 1715, in the hope of retaking Crete. Spinalonga was finally ceded ... Continue reading →

A trip to Spinalonga is definitely worth doing. Spinalonga is officially known as Kalydon and is a tiny island off the coast of Crete. It is just 0.085km2. The island was originally part of Crete itself, however during the Venetian occupation the area was carved out to create a small island fortress to defend the salt-pans in Elounda Bay, Crete. Venetians were selling salt in the Mediterranean, that’s why the salt-pans at Olous (Elounda) should be protected. In those days of course, piracy made commerce unsafe and it was apparent in the 16th century that the Ottoman Turks were turning their gaze ever westwards. This, in combination with the emergent Turkish threat, particularly after the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 and after the loss of the Venetian salt-pans on Cyprus by the Ottomans, forced the Venetians to fortify better the island.  The new fortress of Spinalonga was built in 1579. In 1630 it had 35 cannon, essentially meaning that it had been turned into an island ... Continue reading →