Various entrances that had been built as part of its defensive enceinte served as the means of communication of the fortified city of Candia with the "outer world". Some of those gates were “urban” gates, that is, gates which served both defensive and communication purposes and allowed for the transportation of people and goods. Others, like the Bethlehem Gate for example, were purely military gates used exclusively by the city guard. However, almost all of them were located close to bastions or strongholds of the fortification in order to be adequately protected in case of enemy attack.

With their own special guard and equipped with large wooden doors that remained open during the day, the “urban” gates (Agios Georgios Gate, Gate of Jesus and Pantokratoras Gate) connected the city to the heartland. The so-called seaward gates played a vital role as they guaranteed the safe connection of the city to the harbour and the sea: the Dock Gate, the Shipyards Gate, the Dermatas Gate, the Sabionara Gate and the Agios Andreas Gate (the latter two were located next to the bastions of the same name).

Most of those entry points remained in use during the Ottoman period until the early 20th century. At that time, the appearance of the first vehicles on the island rendered the old Venetian gates obsolete, and at the same time, usually next to them, new entry points were opened to meet the modern transportation needs. 

Agios Georgios Gate

Makasi Gate

Bethlehem Gate

Gate of Jesus (Portal del Gesu)

Pantokratoras Gate

Sabionara Gate