Pillboxes

Like dozens of places in Crete, also the area of Kokkino Horio was chosen by the German Nazis during the Second World War to construct several tunnels. The location they chose for the most important of these tunnels was the hill of Drapanokefala that offers panoramic inspection of the entire bay of Souda.

Ancient Aptera high above the Souda Bay in Chania is naturally fortified place with amazing views. Apart from the ancient monuments and cities that controlled the bay of Souda, the largest natural harbor of Crete and the second across the Mediterranean, there are modern monuments till the German Occupation. Thus, even the German occupiers after the Turks that left the fort Koules on the west side of the plateau occupied by the ancient city there are two German pillboxes, remnants of the second world war.

The northernmost ground of the island of Crete is the Cape of Spatha in Chania prefecture. This strategic location could not have gone unnoticed by the German occupiers during the Second World War, who installed a large bunker with guns, cannons, buildings, arcades, etc. which still haunt this remote place.

Nowhere in the Cretan coastline one meets so many German pillboxes than the seafront of Ierapetra. The pillboxes are made of concrete and are reminiscent of igloos with openings for machine guns. Even within the Ierapetra city we still meet pillboxes, all remnants of the German presence during the Second World War. One of the German pillboexs surviving in perfect condition is the one on the east side of the town in the area called Tziveri Limni.