The Venetian Kales fortress is in the southern part of the Ierapetra port. It possibly began to be built in 1212 by the Genovese pirate Pescatore. The first written reference of the building of the fortress was in 1307, in a document of the Venetian Senate.

The building underwent serious damages during the 1508 earthquake and by the Turkish attacks. When Turks conquered Ierapetra, they used it for defense purposes.

Its name came from the Turkish word “koules” that means tower.