The Heraklion Fortress, a Venetian landmark dating back to the early 16th century, dominates the western pier of the Port of Heraklion. Following extensive renovation, the fortress is now open to the public, offering a unique historical experience along one of the city’s most popular promenades. The lighting design highlights the monument’s exterior shell, transforming it into a nocturnal beacon while respecting its architectural integrity and surrounding environment.

The design approach focuses on maximizing visual impact with minimal intervention, ensuring that light accentuates the historical, decorative, and structural elements without disturbing the night sky, the sea, or visitors. Layered illumination creates depth and presence, with color temperatures shifting from neutral white to warm “candlelight,” evoking a sense of life emanating from within the fortress walls.

Fixtures are carefully placed to maintain visual comfort for passersby and are fully reversible, designed to endure extreme environmental conditions, public interaction, and the operational constraints of the port. The result is a lighting composition that both honors the fortress’s historic significance and animates it as a contemporary urban landmark, guiding visitors and enhancing the cityscape at night.