Κτίριο Πέμπτης Μεραρχίας, Historical military building in Chania, Greece

The Fifth Division Building in Chania is a military structure featuring symmetrically arranged wings around an interior courtyard and large front openings. The structure shows classical proportions with open passages connecting the courtyard to the exterior spaces.

Built between 1870 and 1880 under Ottoman rule on the Kasteli hill in Chania's old town, the building served as the Pasha's residence. After the 1897-1898 revolution it passed to Prince George, high commissioner until 1905. During the German occupation the Gestapo installed its Kommandantur here, using the basements as torture cells.

The structure displays architectural language from major urban centers of the late Ottoman period in Crete, featuring strict symmetry and classical facade elements. These design features shape the city landscape today and show the cultural layer of that era in the public space.

The building stands on Kasteli hill inside Chania's old town, and its structural problems were already serious by 2009, when the Technical University of Crete sought to start reinforcement work on the listed structure. A restoration and remodelling study existed, but the 2010 plan to house the School of Fine Arts there stalled and no contract was signed. In June 2021 the space reopened after residents reoccupied it.

Since 2004, the building has been used by an anarchist group that manages the space and provides cultural areas for refugees and migrants. This unusual use shows how the historical structure serves social purposes today.