Chania has quite a past, and she’s not afraid to show it. Buildings and architectural features from her many past encounters are common in the town. Started in the Neolithic period as a Minoan settlement, Chania (Crete) has been ruled by Greece (in the classical period), Rome, Byzantium, Arabs, Venice, occupied by Germany, and now, Greece.
So, it shouldn’t have surprised us on one of our evening walks in Chania when we came upon a fenced-in archaeological site right in the old city.
The Kastelli Hill site is being excavated by a Greek-Swedish team. The Minoan settlement dates back to 3000 BC and was mostly destroyed by fire in 1450 BC.
The findings from Kastelli Hill were moved to the Chania Archaeological Museum, formerly the Venetian Monastery.
We knew we wanted to see the findings from this site, as well as others from the surrounding area. The museum is conveniently located in the heart of the old town and had a minimal entrance fee. Signage was in Greek and English.
Minoan pots, 1700 BC – 1100 BC
Necklaces with beads were found in chamber tombs, 1400 BC – 1200 BC
Bronze helmet from a Corinthian workshop, 7th century BC
Found in a chamber tomb, late Minoan, 1300 BC – 1250 BC
Minoan seals were made of stone, bone, elephant or hippopotamus tooth. We liked seeing the imprints of each seal in the display.
For a small but historically important town, the Chania Archaeological Museum provided a view to the long ago past and gave us a deeper appreciation of how it all started.
A painter worked in the quiet courtyard as we left the museum.
July 2014
I seem to be following in your footsteps! We are headed out again and I come back to learn from your experiences. Thanks so much!
Did you go through Heraklion at all?
Yes, that is where our flight from Athens landed on Crete. We took a bus over to Chania. On our way out of Crete we stayed a few days in Heraklion and the museum was outstanding!
Nick and I are SO enjoying your travel reports, and now that you’re doing some of the same spots we have enjoyed, we feel even closer to your adventures. Were there any other tourists in the Chania Museum while you were there? I recall it’s being ignored by all bu the two of us in February, ’06. What a gift of photo-journalism you are giving your invisible entourage! Suzanne – from a “delicious” farm now being marvelously re-invented by the younger generation, Peter and Lily Taylor, erstwhile of Toronto, and here since last summer. Those tomatoes and other veggies from Chania looked like our daily August fare.
Several others at the museum when we we there. Great to hear from you. Good to have you along on our journey. Thanks too for the farm news. Here’s an idea: annual Crete-NJ produce tastings.