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All images © by Roberto Piperno, owner of the domain. Write to romapip@quipo.it. Text edited by Rosamie Moore.

La Canea

La Canea (Xania) is the second town of Crete and between 1898 and 1971 it was the capital of the island. Venice had to fight often with Genoa for its possession in the XIIIth century. Its fortifications (mainly walls around the town) were erected in 1538-1540 by Michele Sammicheli.

Sea bastion
Bastione Sabbionara and what's left of the winged lion and of the Venetian coats of arms

Because of its shallow waters the port of La Canea is not suited for today's ships: this has helped in keeping an old fashion atmosphere around it with signs of past dominations.

Around the port
A Venetian house in the harbour and behind it the walls. A little fort (today a restaurant) protecting the harbour. The Janissaries' mosque.

Not all the walls have escaped being pulled down. The longest section is along the areas called Topanas and Evraiki full of small hotels and restaurants (by the way avoid Taverna Amvrosia!), but the top of the walls, maybe a hundred meters from the port, offers a quite different atmosphere with small houses and kitchen gardens.

The western walls and a house on top of them
The western walls and a house on top of them

The town was originally limited to Castello a quarter on high ground overlooking the harbour and where the Venetians had their main buildings. The walls protecting this area were made of ruins of temples (one can see signs of pillars and decorations). Little is left of the Venetian buildings, sometimes just the name to contact for renting rooms which (similar to a monastery) took care of both the soul and the body.

The walls of the castle and ruins of a monastery
The walls of the castle and ruins of a monastery

Considering the prevailing attitude towards other religions (even today), the Venetians were rather liberal. Their attempts to impose Roman Catholicism over the Greek Orthodox population were mild and also the Jews could settle in Venice and in the Venetian territories, with much less harassment than in other countries. La Canea was one of these cosmopolitan Mediterranean ports where different cultures and religions could live peacefully.

Church of S. Rocco and a detail of the synagogue
Church of S. Rocco and a detail of the synagogue

Souda
The fortress of Souda, an islet at the mouth of Souda Bay a natural harbour protected by high mountains to the east of La Canea, is still today used as such and Souda is an important Greek Naval Base. Due to this visits and picture taking are not permitted.

Souda is one of the three bases retained by Venice until 1715 after the loss of Candia in 1669.

Introductory page on the Venetian fortresses in Crete
Grambusa (Granvousa) and Castello (Kasteli/Kissamos)
Candia (Iraklion)
Rettimo (Rethimno)
Spinalonga
Sittia and Paleocastro
Castelfranco (Frangokastelo) and other castles on the southern coast

Introductory page on the Venetian fortresses

You may refresh your knowledge of the history of Venice in the Levant by reading an abstract from the History of Venice by Thomas Salmon, published in 1754. The Italian text is accompanied by an English summary.
(in the background of this page a relief showing the lion, symbol of Venice)