By Nicolas Bard

Following the picturesque and labyrinthine alleys of Chania, you will find yourself in the old port of the city, where one of the most important and older lighthouses of not only our country but also the whole world dominates.

The Lighthouse of Chania is a true ornament and trademark of the city. It was built in the second half of the 16th century, during the period 1595-1601 by the Venetians. Later, in 1830, it was rebuilt by the Egyptians when the English had commissioned Crete to the Egyptian regent Mehmet Ali.

The tower of the lighthouse is 21 meters high, while the height from the sea surface is 26 meters and its light appears at a distance of 7 miles. It is built on an octagonal base, with a hexagonal middle section and its final cross -section is circular. The base construction material has the same origin and quality as the materials used for the Venetian fortification of the city. In fact, inside it has a staircase, leading to a balcony with a glass turret.

The Venetian port and the erection of the lighthouse

The port of the city began to be built by the Venetians between 1320 to 1356 AD. The work continued for the next two centuries, when the lighthouse was built, but in a different form of today. The project was reminiscent of a portrait in order to protect the city from Turkish invaders and pirates.

Around 1595 – 1601 the first lighthouse was erected by the Venetians, founded on a natural rock and functioning as a frying. In sources of the time we read that it was referred to as a “lantern”.

In the years that followed, and specifically from 1645 to 1830 when Crete passed through the Turkish occupation, the Ottomans no longer used the port of Chania, but of Souda, resulting in the lighthouse of the city abandoned and suffered great damage, since no one had taken over. Since 1830 when Mehmet Ali of Egypt took over the administration of the island, he ordered the port of the harbor to be cleaned, to repair the jetty and to rebuild the lighthouse, who thus acquired a second chance …

The work cost a total of 1,146,000 gross, the port acquired a new look and evolved into a large shopping center. At this time, the tower of the lighthouse was also built, which was quite different from the original and looked quite like minaret. Recent research done in this historical building for its restoration have shown that the base of the Venetian lighthouse is separated from the rest of the lighthouse with a wooden grill.

The lighthouse of Chania was added to the Greek Lighthouse after the union of Crete with Free Greece in 1913. In May 1915 a stable white light was installed, which suggests that it is an official lighthouse in the Greek network.

Today it is one of the most important sights in the city of Chania, a landmark of the Venetian port and a multi -photographed place, as thousands of clicks of tourists are capturing and “uploaded” to social media on a daily basis, showing its beauty and nobility in the ends of the Ecumenical. At the time, even when the sun sets in the endless blue and the lighthouse tower is illuminated is one of the most beautiful and magical images that will give you the trip to Crete.