The Venetian fortress of Rethymno should be one of the jewels of Crete. Perched above the town, it offers breathtaking views and echoes of a rich and complex past — from the time of the Venetians to the Ottomans. You expect to walk through its gates and be taken on a journey through time. Instead, you find yourself walking through a place that feels forgotten. The structures are visibly decaying, with large sections overrun by weeds, broken pavements, and unmarked ruins. There’s little to no signage — barely a sentence here or there — and almost nothing that helps you understand what you’re looking at. Many areas are completely inaccessible, and the few that are open feel unsafe or abandoned. What’s most frustrating is the sense that this isn’t about lack of interest — tourists pay 5€ each to enter, and on busy days, that surely adds up to thousands of euros. With even a modest reinvestment of that income, this site could be an open-air museum, a place of education, culture, and beauty. Instead, it’s a missed opportunity, and it shows a worrying level of neglect for a national treasure. Crete is full of life, culture, and resilience — but this site doesn’t reflect that. It reflects neglect and lack of vision. We can only hope someone will see the potential and bring this fortress back to the dignity it deserves.

It’s heartbreaking, really. You don’t just leave a fortress to rot, you leave your own history behind with it. Walking out of the gates, I didn’t feel inspired. I felt sad, even angry. This place could have been unforgettable. Instead, it’s a ruin, not because of time, but because of indifference.