In the west of the island, not far from Rethymnon , drowning in greenery, one of the most ancient cities of Crete - Chania is located. Here come lovers of beach holidays and history enthusiasts. The city itself is divided into new and old parts, where the majority of historical sights of Chania are located on the shore of the ancient port. A lot of interesting can be seen on excursions, leaving Chania itself in its area. In this article, you will find out what exactly to look at in Chania.
Monasteries of Chania
It is very interesting to visit the two monasteries of Chania: Chrysoscalitissa and Ayia Triada.
The first monastery, Chrysoscalitissa, has one more name - the Golden Step, because according to legend, before the monastery was very rich and the last 99 step to it was golden. And during the Turkish occupation of Crete, in order to save the monastery, the monks gave all the riches to the Turks, among whom was this step. The monastery was abandoned for a long time, but in 1894 it was rebuilt and opened until now.
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The second monastery, Ayia Triada or Agia Triada, was built in 1632, in the Venetian style by two brothers - Lavrenty and Yereme. At the monastery you can visit the library and museum with valuable church relics.
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Mosque of the Janisar in Chania
One of the majestic sights of Chania is the Turkish mosque. In the 17th century, these territories were captured by the Turks, and Chania becomes the capital of Islam. In memory of these times, the Janisar Mosque, located in the Sintrivani quarter, near the Venetian port, remained. To date, the building is used not for its intended purpose, but for performing art exhibitions.
Chania Cathedral
The cathedral or the Cathedral of the Three Martyrs is located on the square along Halidon Street, which leads to the port. It was built in the late 19th century, in place of the old church, during the Turkish rule in this building was a soap factory. The cathedral is dedicated to the introduction into the Church of the Blessed Virgin, a holiday dedicated to this event is celebrated on November 21 and is official for the whole of Crete. The interior is not rich, decorated with religious paintings of Greek artists.
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The Venetian heritage
In the Mediterranean space, the most powerful was the Venetian fleet, which stayed on Crete for repairs. From the Venetian period, houses, streets, defensive fortresses, premises of arsenals, the port and the lighthouse remained in Chania.
In the restored seven buildings of the Venetian arsenal, the Center for Mediterranean Architecture is now located. The ancient Venetian harbor, where the port used to be, now does not accept large ships, there are cafes and restaurants.
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From the defensive system of the city, the western wall is best preserved, from the Firkas fortress to the bastion of Siavo, which offers an excellent view of the entire old city. On the territory of the fortress there is a maritime museum of the city devoted to the history of navigation, models and designs of various ships are presented here.
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And next to the port, at a distance of one and a half kilometers, there is a restored old lighthouse.
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Chania area
One of the natural attractions of Chania, and the whole of Crete, are the White Mountains, where among several gorges, there is the biggest canyon in Europe - the Samaria Gorge. Here rare species of flora and fauna are preserved, such as the wild mountain goat of Cre-Cree, inhabiting only Crete.
Beaches of Chania
In the entire island of Crete is a large number of beaches for all tastes. But in Chania itself, the beach to the east of the Venetian Walls is not recommended to visit because of heavy pollution, and in the west is the city sandy beach of Nea Chora, equipped with everything necessary for recreation. At 7 km west of Chania there are three sand coves, very suitable for families with children.
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Water park in Chania
One of the most common types of recreation was visiting the water park. Here it is also possible, just in 8 km from the city there is a water park Limnoupolis, surprising its visitors with modern attractions, swimming pools, exotic rivers, sports grounds and cafeterias. Rest here will be interesting for an adult and a child.
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