The archaeological remains of the ancient Rithymna and the Byzantine settlement have not been preserved. The Venetians built the city of Rettimo in the early 14th century. This settlement was the administrative seat for one of the island’s 14 districts. In 1646 the Turks succeeded in conquering Rethymno and turned it into the capital of one of their administrative districts on Crete. In 1898 the city was liberated, when the whole island declared its independence under an international protectorate. In 1913 Crete became part of the Greek state.