The Old Port, the Venetian Harbour is the most spectacular area to explore in the heart of Chania. Reaching out to the lighthouse and looking around after that is breathtaking. The Venetian heritage is, and so is the Ottoman in the face of Hassan Pasha Mosque. There are several magnificent Christian temples too such as Cathedral of Eisodion tis Theotokou.
The area where Greece meets Italy – you cannot help but think of Venice, yet the Greek sensation remains. You just can’t miss it being on a trip to Chania. The Old Port is the absolute must-see attraction of the city and the Western Crete as a whole. And you can do it more than once – take a walk in the daylight and the next time repeat it after sunset. You will be enchanted by the dazzling beauty of the area, especially when you pass by the wall leading to the lighthouse. On one side you will watch the sea, and on the other observe all the magnificent buildings (and the luxurious yachts) standing by the bay.
It is also called Gali Tzamisi (meaning, the Mosque of the Seaside) or Kucuk Hassan (Little Hassan), this site of Muslim worship is uniquely preserved. Hassan Pasha Mosque stands as an outstanding sample of Islamic art of Renaissance. It was built to honour the first Sergeant of Chania, Kioutsouk Hassan. Nowadays, the venue is primarily used for events and exhibitions.
There are several significant religion sites in Chania. In the centre of the city, it is impossible to pass by the Cathedral Temple of Chania, or the Temple of Eisodion of Theotokos without noticing it. When you turn right off Skridlof Street into Halidon Street, you will see this magnificent building that is still an active place for worship — dedicated to Panagia Trimartyri (Virgin of the Three Martyrs), the patron saint of Chania. Before the actual building was turned into a Christian Orthodox cathedral, it served as big storehouse during the Venetian period and as a soap factory in the Ottoman times. The church was reinstated in the place in 1860.
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