The Venetian church of San Francesco, the Archaeological Museum of Chania
The truly Venetian churches are limited in number because of the relatively small number of Venetians who lived on Crete. They include some large churches in the major cities, some monastery churches in the cities, some private chapels, and some churches in the forts across the island.
Amongst the truly Catholic churches of the Venetian era, the church of San Marco was the most important Venetian church of Iraklion, in which official ceremonies took place. It was built in 1240, destroyed in 1303 by a large earthquake and rebuilt later. The monastery of San Francesco, built around 1390, and the Metamorphosis tou Christou (which was later transformed into the Tzami of Velide Sultana) were among the best Venetian churches in Iraklion. In Chania, the San Francesco Church is still very impressive. Today it houses the archaeological museum of Chania. The church of Agios Nikolaos in Chania was elegant and spacious but very little remains today of the original church. Outside the church, on its north side, there is still a long covered space (tholoto). The churches of San Rocco and San Salvatore and the Renieri Chapel are examples of smaller Venetian churches within the city of Chania. In the fort of Gramvousa there is the little church of the Evaggelistria which was built in 1584.
Photos of The Venetian Churches:
The former Venetian San Salvatore Church
The Venetian church of San Rocco, Chania
The Venetian basilica of San Marco, Iraklion
Renieri Chapel in the Old Town of Chania
The Venetian church of San Francesco, the Archaeological Museum of Chania
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