The structures known in Crete as “Koules” are among the most distinctive yet often misunderstood elements of the island’s historical landscape. Scattered across plains, hills, and coastal zones, these small fortifications form a network that speaks to centuries of insecurity, foreign rule, and local resistance. Though the word “Koules” is commonly used today to describe them, their history spans different periods, builders, and purposes, and their meaning evolved alongside Crete’s turbulent past. The term “Koules” derives from the Turkish word “kule”, meaning tower. This already hints at the period most strongly associated with them: the Ottoman era. However, the idea of small, strategically placed fortified towers did not originate with the Ottomans. Crete’s long history of invasion and rebellion had already produced watchtowers, signal posts, and rural fortifications under Byzantine and Venetian rule. The Koules, as they are commonly understood today, represent the culmination and systematization of this tradition, particularly during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Read MoreMost people step into a church and see the sanctuary as a piece of architecture: a curved end wall, an altar, some paintings, a screen. Very few ever ask why it is shaped the way it is, why those particular images are there, or why the space feels so different from the rest of the building. Yet nothing in a...
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Once, long before the villages we know today, the high hill known as Kastri bore a settlement perched precariously against the sky. Its stones gleamed in the sun, arranged not with the precision of palaces, but with the care of people who built for shelter and survival, for their lives were not governed by kings or courts, but by the...
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Many years ago, long before I met Anoushka, I was out walking in winter, in the foothills of the Lefka Ori with my Cretan friend Kali. We once again managed to get lost and eventually came across a small settlement with maybe 10 houses of which at least half were empty and abandoned.An old lady, working her garden, spotted us...
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The history of the Emirate of Crete is one of the most fascinating chapters in the medieval Mediterranean. It is a story of exile, migration, maritime daring, imperial determination and the encounter between two worlds: the Muslim societies that expanded across the western and central Mediterranean, and the Byzantine Empire striving to preserve its dominion over the Aegean. Crete, known...
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Many, many moons ago, long before time was invented, there lived a man named Idmon of Colophon. He was a humble shepherd who walked the land of Lykia (Λυκία) and was known for his ability to dye wool in a beautiful, deep purple colour. Idmon had a son and a daughter, both of whom walked the land with him and became...
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Beneath the gilded halos and serene saints of Cretan frescoes lies a darker story — one of fear, obedience, and control. Byzantine churches across the island are filled with vivid scenes of sin and punishment: writhing bodies, demons with gaping jaws, and souls weighed in divine scales. These were not merely paintings for prayer, but lessons in power — reminders...
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The Forgotten Industry Beneath Our Feet When we stumbled upon the remains of the old tannery, it seemed at first like nothing more than a scatter of weathered stone. But as we looked closer, the place revealed a pattern — a sequence of basins, channels, and drains too deliberate to be accidental. The longer we stood there, the clearer the...
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When you pick up a paperback novel and slip it into your bag, you’re holding a piece of technology that’s centuries old. The idea of a small, affordable book designed to travel with its reader seems distinctly modern — a product of 20th-century publishing. Yet, the roots of this idea stretch back over five hundred years to the workshops of...
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I arrived in Crete many years ago, for a 2-week holiday. It turned out to be the longest two weeks of my life.
The magic of Crete caught me immediately in its spell, and I just decided to stay. Because I speak 4 languages fluently and can get by in a few more, I didn’t have too many problems finding a job in the tourism sector. During this time I realised that there was a lot wrong with the tourism industry, but didn’t really think about it too much, I was too busy working.
When Covid 19 turned the whole world on its head, my job was seriously affected by this. This gave me the chance to really look at my misgivings about the industry, and the time to develop my own ideas about what tourism is and how it should be approached.
This is when the idea of Magical Crete started taking shape…
I met this crazy Irish guy on one of the rather boring trips on the ferry to Gramvousa and Balos when I was working as a tour guide.
When I finally got used to his accent and understood what he was actually saying, things got a lot easier and we got on very well.
The man’s knowledge is just incredible, and what was even more incredible was that he was willing to share it with me.
When I understood what he was thinking about and wanted to do, I knew this was something I wouldn’t mind getting involved with.
And then, he asked if I would be interested in developing his ideas and being part of Magical Crete…
During our time developing our ideas Enda got a little too enthusiastic now and again and did some damage to himself, sometimes quite serious damage.
While trying to stop him from doing further damage and making him see a the sense in caution and care, he gave me the status of his “Guardian Angel” …
