Description of the attraction
The Venetian harbor of Chania is located near the center of the old town. During the Venetian domination, Chania was a highly developed city in the field of maritime trade with well-established exports and imports, despite the absence of a large and safe port. The location of the harbor itself was not ideal for construction and was highly dependent on weather conditions. Nevertheless, the local authorities decided to build the port. The harbor was supposed to be used for trade purposes and to control the water area from pirate raids.
The Venetian harbor in the city of Chania was built by the Venetians in the years 1320-1356. The harbor was small in size and only had 40 galleys. It did not differ in depth either. The north side of the harbor is protected by a breakwater, in the middle of which there is a small platform with a construction for cannons and a small chapel of St. Nicholas. At the entrance to the harbor is the Firka fortress, built in 1629. At the entrance to the fortress today is the Maritime Museum of Crete. It was in this fortress that the Greek flag was raised on December 1, 1913 in honor of the unification of the island of Crete with Greece. Above the entrance to the harbor also rises a majestic lighthouse, which in its present form was rebuilt by the Egyptians by order of Mehmet Ali in 1830-1840. Another attraction of the Venetian harbor is the Muslim mosque, built in 1645 (one of the first Turkish buildings on the island) and well preserved to this day.
Today, the Venetian Harbor is a historical monument of the city and one of the favorite places of tourists and locals, while Chania is served by the port of Soudou, located on the opposite side of the isthmus. There are many restaurants, bars and cafes along the coastline. Here you can not only relax and taste Mediterranean cuisine, but also enjoy the beautiful panoramic view. The old harbor is today used as a dock for fishing boats and small excursion boats.
