Description of the attraction
The Goura Gate, or the Great Gate, was the main entrance to the old city of Rethymno during the Venetian period and is the only surviving part of the ancient fortress wall. Although many changes have occurred over the centuries, the Great Gate is still quite recognizable today.
This ancient building was built after the expansion of the city in 1540-1570 according to the project of the Venetian architect Mikeli Sanmicheli. The gate got its name in honor of the head of Rethymno J. Gouor. This entrance to the city led to the central square of old Rethymno, which contained important public buildings.
The gate is a semicircular arch 2, 6 m wide. Initially, the structure was crowned with a triangular pediment, decorated with a relief image of the winged lion of St. Mark (Venetian coat of arms). In 1670, in accordance with Turkish tradition, a mosque was built next to the gate, which was named after Valide Sultan, the mother of Sultan Ibrahim. The minaret, built in 1878, can be seen near the gate from the side of the square. Due to the constant expansion of the city after the period of Turkish occupation, the walls of the fortress were gradually destroyed to make way for the construction of houses.
The monumental Venetian building, or rather its surviving fragments, can be seen today at the beginning of Ethnikis Antistasios Street. The Goura Gate is devoid of its former grandeur and is practically squeezed into the walls of houses on both sides of the street, but they continue to remind us of the centuries-old history of the city of Rethymno and the importance of the Venetian period.
