Pronounced Firká, which is Turkish for "military barracks", the Fortress was originally part of the Venetian fortification works for the port of Canea. It was then known as Revellino del Porto, and was designed to protect the harbour from any offensive that could be mounted at the time. In the middle of the inner courtyard, there is a vaulted cistern that collects rainwater from the rooftops, providing the fortress with a self-sustainable source of water. Covering the mouth of the port, were six large cannons, housed in six casemates at the base of the northern wall. The cannons were angled at water level, which meant they could breach a ship's hull directly. Ironically, Chania fell to the Ottomans in 1645, only a few years after the fortress was completed, following a siege of 56 days.