Tour the Naval Museum on Crete
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The Greek island of Crete is one of the most interesting places to visit in Greece. It is a gorgeous island and you can easily spend the whole time hiking or lounging at one of its many beaches. However, it is also known for its naval history and importance. To learn more about this history, visit the Naval Museum.
About the Naval Museum
The Naval Museum of Crete is located at the entrance of the old harbor in Chania. The museum is housed at the Venetian Firka fortress. At this location on December 1, 1913, the Greek flag was raised signalling the unification of Crete with the Greek state making it historically significant.
The Naval Museum was founded in 1973 as a place that could represent the Greek naval tradition and the naval history of Crete. The museum was founded by Vice Admiral A. Yannopoulos. Yannopoulos served as an Admiral Commander in Chania. The creation and function of the Naval Museum was widely supported by the citizens of Crete and military officers.
The Naval Museum of Crete showcases ship models, instruments, equipment, paintings, heirlooms, and objects that were found at the bottom of the sea. Items from the Bronze Age to the Roman period include Bronze Age Ships and the triremes (ancient vessels) of classical antiquity. Naval battles such as the Persian and the Peloponnesian Wars are represented. From the Byzantine period, there are ship models that present rowing navigation.
There is a section dedicated to the piracy in the Aegean. The Venetian period exhibit has maps, models of Venetian ships, and a large model of the Venetian town of Chania including its dockyards and fortifications. The Turkish occupation to the Greek War of Independence is represented by portraits of naval battles fighters and ships of the revolutionary fleet.
Tour the Naval Museum on Crete
When visiting the Naval Museum of Crete, you will be treated to exhibitions that showcase various ships, periods of time in Crete, and wars that were participated in. Here you will learn more about the Balkan Wars, the Second World War, and the post war period. The items you will see include: photographs, ship models, and equipment. You can easily spend hours exploring the Naval Museum.
There is also a shell exhibit at the Naval Museum that depicts the diversity and beauty of the sea life. Various shells found at the bottom the sea are on display at the museum. There are all forms of sea life of all shapes and sizes available for you to see and learn more about.
Getting to the Naval Museum
Getting to the largest Greek island of Crete can be done by plane which will arrive at the Chania airport or the Heraklion airport. From Athens, both flights take about 45 minutes. During the summer, you can expect more flights. There are also flights that come from Thessaloniki to the island of Crete. Taking the ferry is also an option, though it is slower option. Ferries leave from the Piraeus port in Athens. During the summer months, ferries to Crete also depart from Agios Nikolaos.
Once on the island of Crete, you can get to the Naval Museum, at the Firka Fortress, by bus, taxi, or rented car. If you drive, you will find municipal parking spaces just steps away from the museum.
Categorized in: About Crete Greece, Greek Travel Guide
This post was written by Greek Boston
