The Venetians constructed the Venetian Walls of Chania to protect and defend the city. Initially, they repaired the existing Byzantine walls and organized the urban layout within those boundaries. However, as the population grew and the city expanded beyond the original fortifications, a new set of defenses was required. In 1536, under the guidance of renowned Veronese fortifications engineer Michele Sanmicheli, the city was fortified once again. Further additions were made to the walls in 1563 by G. Savorgan and Admiral Renier.
The Venetian walls featured four bastions, towers, and an outer moat, forming an almost square shape with a perimeter of 3085 meters. The moat ran parallel to the walls, measuring 1942 meters in length, 10 meters in depth, and 50 meters in width. To enhance their defensive capability, the bastions were reinforced with smaller structures called ramparts, which were positioned at a higher level.
The Bastion of San Salvatore is situated in the northwest corner of the Venetian fortifications, named after the nearby San Salvatore Monastery, which still stands in the area. Located to the west of the Firkas Fortress, the San Salvatore Bastion, along with its quadrilateral rampart, protected the sea approach and the western side of the fortifications.
Means of Access:
- Car
- On Foot
Disabled Access:
- Yes
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