Description of the attraction
The Venetian Loggia is located in the center of Heraklion, on 25 Augusta Street, near the Basilica of St. Mark and Lion's Square. The elegant structure of the Loggia is one of the finest landmarks in Venetian Crete.
The Loggia was a kind of a noble club and a public building. Noble people of the city gathered here not only to solve economic and political problems, but also to relax and take a break from state concerns. The Loggia was the center of local administrative and social life. State decrees were read from its balconies, and the duke watched the litanies (prayer requests, part of the service) and parades.
According to historical sources, four Loggias were built in Heraklion, but the first three have not survived to this day and it is not known for certain what they looked like. The structure that we see today was built on the initiative of Francesco Morosini in 1626-1628. The Loggia is a two-story rectangular building with an open gallery on the first floor, and is an example of a virtuoso combination of Doric (first floor) and Ionic (second floor) styles. The Heraklion Loggia is an accurate display of the famous Palladian Basilica in the Italian city of Vicenza. During the reign of the Turks, the Loggia was used to house the Treasury of Crete.
In 1898, when Crete gained its independence, the Loggia building was in very poor condition. In 1915, restoration work began on a project by the Venetian engineer Ongaro. Work was interrupted during the Second World War, but resumed after its end. Today the Loggia has been restored to its original form and houses the City Hall.
In 1987, the loggia was awarded the first prize of the international organization for the protection of monuments "Europa Nostra" for the most successful restoration and use of a historic building.
