Description of the attraction
One of the most beautiful and interesting cities on the Greek island of Crete, which is definitely worth a visit, is undoubtedly the city of Chania, located on the northern coast of the island about 145 km from Heraklion and 70 km from Rethymno.
During the rule of the Venetians on the island, which lasted almost four hundred years, Chania was a major commercial and financial center of Crete and flourished, significantly expanding and strengthening its borders during this period. The last fortifications were erected by the Venetians in the 16th century, and it is they who today border the so-called Old Town - the historical center of Chania, formed around the Kastelli hill, which has been inhabited since the Neolithic era, near the old port.
Despite the fact that a number of structures were destroyed, including as a result of bombing during the Second World War, the Old Town of Chania has been well preserved to this day and today is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful cities in the Mediterranean. You will get a lot of pleasure walking along the narrow streets of the city, in the architecture of which the styles of different eras and cultures are so harmoniously combined, and enjoying its unique flavor and amazing atmosphere.
One of the most interesting places in the Old Town is the picturesque embankment and the old harbor, built in the 14th century by the Venetians, at the entrance to which an old lighthouse rises on one side, and on the other - the Firka fortress (1629). Here you will also find the Venetian Arsenal (shipyard), the entertaining Maritime Museum of Crete and the famous Janissary Mosque (1645). However, other sights of the city deserve special attention, including the Archaeological Museum, located in the building of the former Cathedral of St. Francis, the Folklore Museum, the Byzantine Museum, Chania Cathedral (Cathedral of the Three Martyrs) and the Church of St. Rocco.
