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Chania is the main town in the west of Crete, with the second largest population after Heraklion. It is divided into two parts, the New Town which is where the day to day business of Chania goes on, with its shops and offices, the post office and banks, the renowned indoor market and the bus station, and the Old Town, built around the Venetian harbour with numerous picturesque narrow streets and architecture showing the influence of decades of foreign domination.

Recent excavations have established that the ancient city of Kydonia was located here also. The first thing a visitor sees when reaching the town of Chania is the Venetian harbour and castle (Firka fort). The city dates back to the Neolithic period and recent archaeological digs on the acropolis of Kasteli have uncovered remains of a significant Minoan community. Known as Kydonia in the past it was one of the most important cities of Crete right up to the Arabian seizure in 824 AD.

The Venetians purchased Crete in about 1204 but lost it to the Genoese between 1267 and 1290. The city of Chania was rebuilt on the site of the Byzantine acropolis in 1252 and after improving the fortifications at Kastelli the Venetians built their own cathedral plus many palaces and houses in the surrounding area for their people. In 1645, after a two month siege with terrible losses, the Turks overwhelmed the whole island. Chania became the Turkish island capital. The Turks were expelled in 1898 when Prince George became the High Commissioner of Crete, though the actions of the Great Powers of Britain, France and Russia.

The official union of Crete with the rest of Greece, on 13 December, 1913, with the raising of the Greek flag on Firka fort, led to a cease in turmoil and hard oppression on the proud and brave Cretan people. This pride and bravery was last called on to fight against German occupation, when Chania was turned into a battlefield in 1941. With distinguished gallantry, the residents battled with the 3,500 German parachutists, in the area of Maleme (20km west of Chania). That same year, the town of Chania was bombarded, destroying the largest part of the Venetian citadel and eastern district of Splantzia.

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