Chania, Port city in northwestern Crete, Greece
Chania is a coastal town on the Mediterranean in northwestern Crete with a Venetian old quarter and a harbor basin from the 16th century. Mountains rise south of the coastal plain and form a natural backdrop to the town.
The Minoan settlement of Kydonia existed here during the Bronze Age and was later taken over by Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman rulers. The Venetians built fortifications and expanded the harbor in the 14th century, while the Ottoman period from 1645 to 1898 added mosques and fountains.
The Venetian lighthouse at the western breakwater carries the name Egyptian Lighthouse and serves as a landmark for the town. Visitors use the harbor area for evening walks along the waterfront with views of the old town.
The old town can be explored on foot, with the Venetian harbor district and adjacent residential quarters close together. Those wishing to visit the surrounding mountain villages will find regular bus connections from the central bus station.
Beneath the Kastelli hill in the eastern part of the old town lie archaeological remains of the Minoan city of Kydonia, partially accessible to visitors. In the Topanas district west of the harbor, buildings show mixed style elements from several centuries on the same facade.
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