The Venetian Lighthouse of Chania
Chania's Venetian lighthouse is the town's single most recognizable structure, guarding the mouth of the Old Venetian Harbour. The lighthouse standing today dates, in its present form, to the Egyptian Occupation of Crete in the early 19th century, even though its story as a harbour marker starts two centuries earlier, under Venetian rule.
Venetian Origins and the 1595-1601 Harbour Works
Venetians built the original lighthouse around the late 16th century, raising it to protect the harbour from the Turks. They also ran a chain from its base to the fortress of Firkas, so the harbour entrance could be closed off whenever a threat approached.
Between 1595 and 1601, Venetian engineers carried out major works across the port of Chania. At the center of the breakwater they built the bastion of St. Nicholas, which combined with the Firkas fortress to guard the harbour entrance, and the lighthouse itself went up during this same building campaign. The base that still carries the tower today is trapezoidal in shape and dates from this same Venetian period.
Neglect Under Turkish Rule and the 1839 Egyptian Restoration
Turkish rule brought decades of neglect to both the harbour and its lighthouse. Chania's harbour fell into disrepair once the Turks took control of the town, and the lighthouse itself was left to decay through the whole Turkish Occupation.
Egyptian forces restored the lighthouse to the shape visitors recognize today in 1839, ending this long period of abandonment.
War Damage, the 2005 Renovation and Visiting the Lighthouse Today
WWII bombings and later earthquakes left the Egyptian lighthouse leaning badly for decades. A full renovation in 2005 straightened and repaired the tower, and it has looked as good as new ever since.
Standing 21m tall with a light visible within 7 miles, the lighthouse marks the end of a long mole that shields the Venetian harbour from Chania's rough winter seas. A short summary of what makes this tower stand out:
- Height: 21m
- Light range: visible within 7 miles
- Restored: 1839, by the Egyptians
- Renovated: 2005, after WWII and earthquake damage
- Access: closed to the public, the tower itself cannot be entered
Walking the full length of the mole still rewards visitors with sweeping views back over the Old Venetian Harbour and part of Chania town, even though the tower itself stays closed to visitors.
Chania's Old Town sits just steps from this harbour, so most visitors pair the lighthouse walk with a stroll through the surrounding lanes and waterfront tavernas. Once you rent a car in Crete, the drive from Chania town to the harbour car parks takes only a few minutes, leaving the rest of the day free for the lighthouse mole and the rest of the Old Town. Browse the fleet for a model that suits a Chania day trip, or book online in a couple of minutes before you set off.