Castle of Saint George
(Kastro Choras)

At the area's highest point, a few ruins of the Venetian castle loom over Chora. The Venetians ruled the island from 1207 to 1537, with the exception of 1269-1307, when the Byzantines briefly took over. In 1537, pirate Hayreddin Barbarossa seized it and subjugated its population. At the castle we will also see the little church of Saint George (Agios Georgios). On the wooden icon screen inside the church, notice the Cretan icon of the saint (from 1638), in which he appears to be killing a dragon.