Fragokastello - Chania

Attribution: Nektarios Sylligardakis

Fragokastello is located on the south of Chania prefecture, in a distance of 11 km on the east of Sfakia. It took its name from a castle built by Venetians on the sand in the 14th century. In 1828 during the battle of Fragokastello,in the war of independance against the Turks, the troops of Hatzimihalis Dalianis sought refuge in the castle and fought against the Turkish army for seven days. Dalianis and 350 of his men died during the siege.

The locals, however closed in on the Turkish army from behind and forced them to retreat and release the siege. The Turkish army then headed northeast, and although it outnumbered the locals by many, it was slaughtered in the gorges of Sfakia. It is said that every year on the anniversary of the battle in the dawn break shadows dressed in black march towards the castle. The strange phenomenon is called 'Drosoulites' and even nowadays, there is no wide-accepted explanation for the vision.