Kazarma Fortress

The Kazarma fortress sits on a low hill above Sitia's harbour — a square Venetian fort with bastions at each corner that has guarded the town since the 13th century. The interior is now a venue for summer concerts and theatre performances, and the views from the ramparts cover the bay and the white houses stepping up the slope behind it.

Entry is free outside event hours. The climb from the harbour takes 10–15 minutes through narrow lanes. Information panels explain the layered history, from the original Genoese tower to the Venetian rebuilding and the Ottoman occupation.

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A story
The name Kazarma comes from the Italian 'casa di arma' — house of arms. The Venetians built it in the 13th century, the Ottomans expanded it, and the locals shelled it from below during the 1866 Cretan uprising. The walls still bear cannonball scars.

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