Chania

Is the second largest city of Crete Greece

Chania is the second largest city of Crete Greece (population about 70,000) and the capital of the Chania Prefecture. It lies along the north coast of the island, about 70 km west of Rethymno and 145 km west of Heraklion. The must see on Chania is the Old Harbor.

Chania is the site of the Minoan settlement the Greeks called Cydonia.

Some important evidence for the existence of this Minoan city below some parts of today's Chania was found by excavations in the district of Kasteli in the Old Town. The city reemerged after the end of the Minoan period as an important city-state in Classical Greece era, one whose domain extended from Hania Bay to the feet of the White Mountains.

Today, the city of Chania can be divided in two parts: the old town and the modern city which is the larger one. The old town is situated next to the old harbour and is the matrix around which the whole urban area was developed. It used to be surrounded by the old Venetian fortifications that started to be built in 1538; of them the eastern and western parts have survived. From the south, the old town is continuous with the new, and from the north the physical border is the sea. The centre of the modern city is the area extending next to the old town and especially towards the south.

Chania's Old Town is considered the most beautiful urban district on Crete, especially the crumbling Venetian harbour. The borders of the Old Town are the mostly destroyed old Venetian wall (and bulwarks) and this has been the cradle of all the civilizations which were developed in the area.