Chania Crete
Chania is the capital of the prefecture of Chania. The town is
one of the finest in Greece, largely retaining its old,
traditional Cretan atmosphere and many reminders of its history,
giving it a unique charm. The oldest part of town was built on
the ruins of a Minoan settlement, Kydonia, and is encircled by
walls dating from the Byzantine and Venetian eras with the sea
completing the circle. The Minoans have left behind magnificent
tombs as well as many interesting artefacts. Under the occupying
forces of both the Venetians and the Turks, the city of Chania
was very multi-cultural with people from different religions,
nations and cultures co-existing.
Today, There are complete districts from the Venetian period
which are still intact, as well as well-preserved Jewish and
Turkish districts. At the harbour entrance is the Firkas fort
which was built in 1629 to protect the entrance to the port and
its name derives from the Turkish firka meaning barracks. It was
here that the modern Greek flag was raised in 1913 after the
Unification of Crete with Greece. It is now the home of the
Nautical Museum and a summer theatre. Directly opposite this is
a Venetian lighthouse dating from the 16th century. The harbour
itself dates from Venetian times and is a pleasant place to
stroll or ride around the town in a horse drawn carriage. The
Chania Archaeological Museum is housed in the large Venetian
church of St. Francis and exhibits include finds from all over
Crete. A feature of the harbour area is the Janissaries Mosque
built in 1645 during the Ottoman empire.
Following the city walls from inside the city itself enables you
to come across delightful alleyways and fine Venetian houses
with stone coats of arms and wooden balconies. At the bottom of
Moschon, not far from the Naval Museum, is the elegant arched
Renieri gate, which is a covered passage leading to the
beautiful Renieri Chapel, the remains of a private chapel which
belonged to a Venetian nobleman.
Close by is the Chania cathedral, Trimartyri, dedicated to the
Virgin of the Three Martyrs, Chania s patron saint. The date of
its construction is not known although records show that it was
in the town during the Venetian period. It had an interesting
experience during the Ottoman period when it was turned into a
soap factory, only being converted back to a church when the
Pasha s son fell into a well, and after successfully praying to
the Virgin to save his son he offered the church back to the
Christians of Chania.
The grand covered market of Chania opened in 1913 as part of the
Unification celebrations. It was modelled on the market of
Marseilles and is a magnificent building, housing around 76
shops and cafes. With the increase in tourism some of the retail
outlets have given themselves over to selling tourist souvenirs
rather than fresh produce, but there is still enough hustle and
bustle of a market place to ignite your interest. Open Monday to
Saturday, many things are cheaper in the market than in the
local shops, and the food in the restaurants is tasty and good
value.
During the Ottoman Empire, several Turkish baths, or hammams,
were constructed in the town. Two of these beautiful domed
buildings remain and can be seen in the Old Town.
Close to the south of the town is the monastery of Khrysopigi,
or Zoodokhos Pigi. Founded in 1600 it is surrounded by a
fortification wall. Over many centuries it has suffered periods
of booms and decline. It experienced attacks both by the Turks
during the Ottoman Empire and, then again, by the Germans during
the Second World War. Today, it operates as a nunnery.