Fountains of Heraklion

The Morosini fountain may be the most famous fountain in Heraklion, however the city has other beautiful ones as well, which also date from the Venetian era.

Fountains of Heraklion

The Bembo fountain, located in Kornaros square, is decorated with severalVenetian coats-of-arms and a headless statue of the Roman period.

A Turkish domed building (koumbes) which is used today as a traditional cafeneion, is next to the fountain. A sculpture representing Erotokritos and Aretoussa, the two main characters of Erotokritos, the outstanding long verse romance of the Cretan Renaissance, is located behind the fountain, where a Venetian church of the Saviour (San Salvatore) existed up until the late ‘60s.

The Venetian Priuli fountain, which is located south of the Dermatas Gate, is also well-known in Heraklion.

There are several other Turkish constructions of this kind to be seen. The Idomeneus fountain, located outside the southern entrance to the Historical Museum, is beautifully decorated, while the Mertza fountain, which has a plainer decoration, is incorporated into the outside wall of the Italian Archaeological School, in Halbherr Street.