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| CHANIA TOWN |
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City of Chania stands on the site of ancient "Kydonia". According to legend, King Minos' grandson, Kydon, founded the city.Excavations in the Kastelli area of the city have uncovered Neolithic pottery, signs of Bronze Age settlements and Minoan tombs. Kydonia was an important city-state in the Late Minoan and Post Minoan Period.It prospered during the Classical Greek and Roman periods. This prosperity continued into the Byzantine period but as the empire suffered so did its outposts.
In the thirteenth century the Genoese, traditional enemies of the Venetians, gained the support of the local population and seized the city.
Twenty years later the Venetians again gained control of the city, renaming it La Canea. They quickly strengthened the defences of the city. In two stages, during the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, they built the city walls. Despite these great fortifications the city fell to Turkish invaders in 1645 after a two month siege. Turkish rule ended in 1898 and independence was granted by France, Britain, Russia, and Italy. However, the desire to unite with mainland Greece caused riots and conflicts. Eleftherios Venizelos, the famous Cretan politician, led the drive for union.
Finally, in 1913, Crete was annexed as part of Greece. More recently Crete was invaded by the Germans in 1941. Chania suffered severe bombardment in the opening stages of the Battle of Crete. |
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