The remains of the Venetian fortress on the island of Gramvoussa,

one of the most impressive fortifications of the Venetian Republic in Crete.

The fortress, built in 1584, was situated in a strategic position to control the island of Crete and together with the fortifications of the island of Kìthira was the nodal point for the affirmation of the supremacy of the Venetian commercial traffic between Central and Eastern Mediterranean.

Venetian domination that was short-lived, however, because Gramvoussa early as 1630 it was conquered by the Ottomans and later fell into the hands of the Algerian pirates, which made it unsafe maritime traffic in the area for nearly two centuries, until the Greek revolt of 1817 that ousted them and gave control of the island permanently to the cretan people.

Today to visit it there is a regular daily service with boats departing from the port of Trahilos.