More than 5 centuries, the famous Lighthouse stands in the old port of Chania. In 1212 the Venetians conquered Crete. Then they decided to build a new town on the ancient Cydonia (current Chania). Begins constructed between 1320 and 1356 the work continued for the next 200 years when the lighthouse was constructed in a different form than today. From 1645 until 1830 in Crete remained Turkish conquerors. They did not use the port of Chania but in Souda. So over the years the lighthouse was destroyed because nobody cared for maintenance. In 1830 the British gave the island to the Egyptians. Then there were many public works. The lighthouse was rebuilt on the original basis. But the new beacon is different from the old, more like a minaret. It has an internal staircase leading to a balcony with a glass tower. Surveys conducted recently to replace the lighthouse showed that the base of the lighthouse is Venetian separated from the rest of the lighthouse with a wooden rack. From the “Coast Union” everybody can easily see and admire the Venetian lighthouse built at the end of the walls. You can visit it if you head east at the end of the harbor and walk along the wall. Not allowed to enter the lighthouse itself because of the old and sensitive structure of the building. The view of the old harbor from the lighthouse is spectacular and the sunset at this point it will be proved definitely, a unique experience.

images : Fragos Nickos