About 11 km. east of the Chora Sfakion, is the site of the old "Castel Franco" (Franchise Castle), built by the Venetians in 1371 as a defense against pirates and Cretan rebels.

The Venetians built the castle right on the beach in 1371, to protect themselves from pirates and from the constant revolts of the locals. They called it Castel Franco and that’s how Frangokastello took its name.  The castle carries a blood-drenched history related to the struggle for freedom against the Turks. Related to this history, a strange phenomenon called Drosoulites, takes place in Frangokastello, and according to the legend, is related to the Battle of Frangokastello.

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