Market of Chania

The covered market is in the centre of the city and has the form of a cross. The market of Chania stands in the place of the main entrance of the Venetian fort that surrounded the city. Materials from the fort were used to build the market. The market was built in 1913. Inside the market of Chania there are many shops, such as bakeries, grocery shops, fish, meat and cheese stores. In those shops one can also find many traditional cretan products.

Public Garden

A place in the centre of Chania town that you should visit is th public garden. It is located between Dimokratias street and Tzanakaki street and it encompasses a small zoo, a cafe, an open air cinema, and the city clock tower.

Judirical building (court)

In the middle of the "Plateia Dikastirion" (court square), there is a statue of Eleftherios Venizelos, in front of the Court House building (Dikastiko Megaro), originally built to be a hospital.

Venetian Neoria

Right by the old port of Chania, there are six Venetian dry-docks (Neoria). Each one of them was able to contain a ship being constructed or repaired. Two are now being used as Conference Centres and for cultural activities, whereas the others host small industries, repair shops or they are used for storage.

Cathedral

As you go down Chalidon street towards the old harbour, you encounter on your right the Orthodox Cathedral of Chania (Church of Panagia Trimartiris), which was built in 1864 on top of a pre-existing church!

Ahmet Aga minaret

The minaret (tall and narrow tower built on muslim "temenos") of Ahmet Aga is on Hatzimichali Daliani street behind the Market and can be seen from almost every spot of the town.

Chryssopigi Monastery

Chryssopigi Monastery is about 3-4 km away from the center of Chania town. In the monastery there is a church called Panagia. Today it is a convent with several nuns living there.

Venizeloi Graves

If you take the road that leads from downtown Chania to the airport (Akrotiriou street), at the turn for Kounoupidiana, there are the graves of Eleytherios Venizelos and his son, Sofoklis. El. Venizelos was a very important politician for our country. The graves lie in a very beautiful garden, from where the view of the city of Chania is stunning!

Venetian Lighthouse

The lighthouse was built in 1570 by the Venetians, but had to be rebuilt by the Egyptians in 1830 and is the trademark of the old port of Chania. The view especially during the sunset is amazing, if you are standing somewhere on the old port, looking at the lighthouse.

Firkas Bastion

The bastion of Firkas lies on the western end of the old harbour of Chania. The Venetians used it to imprison the Greeks who were convicted to death. In 1913 the greek flag was raised there, before Eleytherios Venizelos and the king of Greece (Konstantinos), so that the union of Crete and Greece was made official. Today the bastion houses the naval museum and during the summer it hosts many cultural events.

Janissaries Mosque

The Janissaries Mosque, on the old harbour of Chania, is a rather unusual sight. It was built by the Turks in 1645 and its characteristics are its domed roof and arches. The mosque was heavily damaged by World War II bombings. Today it hosts several expeditions.

Turkish Βath

As you go down Chalidon street towards the old harbour, you encounter on your right (right by the Orthodox Cathedral) the remains of a Turkish bath (hamum).

The house of Eleytherios Venizelos

There are two houses of the great politician, Eleytherios Venizelos in Chania. The first lies in a neighborhood called Halepa, and the second one is in one of the suburbs of the town of Chania, that is called Mournies.

Stivanadika

Vertically to Chalidon street (and right above the Orthodox Cathedral) lies Skridlof street. On this street one can find many little shops that sell a variety of leather stuff (bags, jackets etc). Those shops are like a bazaar and are known as "stivanadika". So if you want to make a bargain and make some good and premium buys, you should absolutely visit stivanadika.

Sintrivani Square

Chalidon street concludes on Sintrivani Square, which lies right in front of the old harbour of Chania. This square is very well known, because it was a meeting point for the Christians, during the Turkish occupation.