The Koules fortress towers over the coast. It was built by the Ottomans after the Cretan revolution in 1866, during the effort to control Crete again through a net of fortification works. It is a sample of fortress architecture of 19th century. The purpose of its location was to control the Apokoronas valley where it used to be the passage to Chania.

The fortress was the biggest fortification establishment of its period.