Rethimnon, Castle, Detail

Rethymno (also Rethimno, Rethymnon, and Rhithymnos) is a small city in the Greek island of Crete. It was built in antiquity, being a city important enough in the Minoan culture to mint its own coins and maintain urban growth. This region is rich with ancient history, most notably the Minoan civilization era. Rethymnon began a period of growth with the Venetian conquest of the island, when it became a commercial station between Heraklion and Chania, acquiring its own bishop and nobility in the process. Today's old town (palia poli) is almost entirely built by the Venetians. It is one of the best preserved old towns in Crete. Many buildings today are dating from the 16th century and even Byzantine and Hellenic-Roman remains are still notable there.