Chania
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Chania or Hania
Χανιά | |
---|---|
UTC+3 (EEST) | |
Postal code | 73100 |
Area code(s) | 28210 |
Vehicle registration | ΧΝ |
Website | www.chania.gr |
Chania (Greek: Χανιά [xaˈɲa] ⓘ; Venetian: La Canea), also spelled Hania, is a city in Greece and the capital of the Chania regional unit. It lies along the north west coast of the island Crete, about 70 km (43 mi) west of Rethymno and 145 km (90 mi) west of Heraklion.
The municipality has 108,642 inhabitants (2011). This consists of the city of Chania and several nearby areas, including Kounoupidiana (pop. 8,620), Mournies (pop. 7,614), Souda (pop. 6,418), Nerokouros (pop. 5,531), Daratsos (pop. 4,732), Perivolia (pop. 3,986), Galatas (pop. 3,166) and Aroni (pop. 3,003).
History
Early history
Chania is the site of the
Chania reemerged after the end of the Minoan period as an important city-state in
Byzantine and Arab era
The early Christian period under Byzantine rule (First Byzantine Period, 395–824 AD) and the rule of the Arabs, who called the settlement Al Hanim ("the Inn"), are not well documented. The Byzantine Empire retook the city in 961 AD (Second Byzantine Period, until 1204 AD). In this period the Arabic name of the city was changed into Greek Chania. Byzantines began to strongly fortify the city in order to prevent another Arab invasion, using materials from the ancient buildings of the area. By this time Chania was the seat of a bishopric, which would be known under Venetian rule as Roman Catholic Diocese of La Canea and later become the Latin titular see of Cydonia.
Venetian era
After the
The Venetian rule was initially strict and oppressive but slowly the relations between the two parts improved. Contact with
Ottoman era
During the opening months of the Cretan War (1645–1669) the city's walls did not prevent an Ottoman army from capturing it from the Venetians after a two-month siege. Many Cretans fled to escape persecution, many others were slaughtered or converted to Islam, while numerous Turkish Muslim settlers arrived changing the ethnic mix of the city.[4]
Muslims resided mainly in the eastern quarters, Kastelli and Splantzia, where they converted the
The city remained under Ottoman control despite fighting during the
Modern era
In 1898, during the final moves towards independence and
However the main goal was enosis with Greece, which came after
Due to the popularity of Venizelos, Chania as with most of Crete remained staunchly pro-
Chania in World War II
Another important period for the city of Chania was the invasion and occupation by
Post–World War II era
The city of Chania slowly regained its normal pace of development during the 1950s, trying to overcome the difficulties that the war had left in its aftermath. During the 1970s, Crete became a major tourist destination for Greek and international tourists, something that gave a significant boost to the city's economy and affected the everyday life and the overall culture of the locals. The capital of Crete was moved to Heraklion in 1971.
Since the 1990s, the city of Chania has entered a new era, mainly due to construction and infrastructure such as a new airport, port and educational facilities, and it is considered a prominent tourist resort in the Mediterranean Sea.
Geography
The city of Chania lies around 40 km (25 mi) from the west end of Crete. By road, the distance is approximately 52 km (32 mi).[10]
Cityscape
The city of Chania can be divided into two parts: the old town and the modern city which is the larger one. The old town is situated next to the old harbour and is the matrix around which the whole urban area was developed. It used to be surrounded by the old Venetian fortifications that started to be built in 1538.[citation needed] Of them, only the eastern and western parts have survived. From the south, the old town is continuous with the new, and from the north the physical border is the sea. The centre of the modern city is the area extending next to the old town and especially towards the south.
The old town
The borders of the Old Town are the partly destroyed old Venetian wall (and bulwarks) and this has been the cradle of all the civilizations which were developed in the area. The central part of the old town is named Kasteli and has been inhabited since Neolithic times (ancient Kydonia). It is located on a small hill right next to the seafront and has always been the ideal place for a settlement due to its secure position, its location next to the harbour and its proximity to the fertile valley in the south. Nowadays it is a bit more quiet than the neighbouring areas of the west part of the district. The Splantzia quarter (next to the east part of Kasteli) is also largely untouched.
The main square of the Old Town (next to the west end of Kasteli) is
Finally, a very distinctive area of the Old Town is the
The modern city
The modern part of Chania is where most locals live and work. It is less traditional than the old town, but there are still areas of some historical interest.
The oldest district (early 18th century) of the modern city is Nea Hora (meaning "New Town") which is located beyond the west end of the old town. It is a developing area with narrow old lanes leading to a small fishing harbour.
The district of Koum Kapi (the Venetians had first named it "Sabbionara", which means "the Gate of the Sand", the same as "Koum Kapi") situated beyond the walls at the eastern part of the old town, was also one of the first places to be inhabited outside the fortification walls. Initially, it was home for the "Halikoutes", a group of Bedouins from North Africa who had settled there in the last years of Ottoman rule.[11] Nowadays it is a developing area with many cafes, bars and restaurants on its beach.
In the same era the district of
Other historical buildings in the area include Eleftherios Venizelos's House (built 1876-1880), the old French school (now property of the Technical University of Crete, housing the Department of Architecture), the Church of Agia Magdalini (built 1901-1903), The "Palace" (built 1882, house of Prince George during the period of the Cretan independence) and The Church of Evangelistria (built 1908–1923).[citation needed] Part of the marine area of Halepa is called Tabakaria, where a unique architectural complex of old leather processing houses is situated.[citation needed]
Apart from the previously mentioned older districts of the modern part of the town, several new residential areas have been developed during the 20th century, like Agios Ioannis, Koumbes, Lentariana, Pachiana and Pasakaki.[citation needed] Sections of the city centre are dominated by colourless medium-height block buildings, typical of the urbanization period of Greece (1950–1970). However, there are still some neoclassical houses, especially in the eastern part of Chania.[citation needed] There are some parks and several sports grounds, the most important being the Venizeleio Stadium of Chania and the Swimming Pool at Nea Hora. The 1913 indoor market ("Agora"), is on the edge of the old town and is popular with tourists and locals alike. Some other important sites of the newer urban area are The Court House ("Dikastiria", built late in the 19th century), the Public Gardens ("Kipos", created in 1870), the Garden Clock-Tower ("Roloi", built in 1924–1927), the Episcopal Residence (Bishop's residence, "Despotiko", built in the early 19th century) and the House of Manousos Koundouros (built in 1909), the Cultural Centre ("Pnevmatiko Kentro").[citation needed] The central largest squares in Chania are the Market Square ("Agora"), the Court House Square ("Dikastiria") and the "1866 Square".
Since the 1990s, there has been a profound movement of Chania residents towards the suburbs, as well as towards areas around the city which used to be rural, mainly around
Climate
Chania, Greece
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The city has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csa), with sunny dry summers and mild rainy winters. During the period between April and October, clear-sky weather is almost an everyday feature. The atmosphere is always warm, but strong heat waves (temperatures above 38 °C) are not very common, since the prevailing etesian winds ("Meltemia") blow from the Aegean Sea and pleasantly moderate the conditions. Intervals of sunny days are frequent during the windy and rainy winter as well. Snow and frost are rare near the coast, with very few exceptions, like the snowstorm on 13 February 2004, when 25–75 cm (9.8–29.5 in) of snow accumulated in the greater regional area, causing general chaos.[14] The last significant snowfall occurred on 8 January 2017 when the whole city and the old harbor were covered by snow. However, such cold days can be followed by much warmer and sunny weather. Heat waves can occur from as early as March, oftentimes accompanied by Saharan dust,[15] whose main feature are the hot katabatic winds (foehn winds) blowing from the south, also called Sirocco (Σιρόκος) or "Livas" (the wind from Libya) by the Greeks.[citation needed]
The adjacent climate chart is based on data recorded during 1958–1997. The absolute maximum temperature recorded during this period was 42.5 °C (109 °F), while the absolute minimum recorded was 0 °C (32 °F).[citation needed]
However, the record minimum was broken on 13 February 2004 when the temperature dropped to −1 °C (30 °F) in the nearby
Topography
The climate in Chania is further complemented due to the terrain and can vary throughout its regions and elevations and according to its topography. At the south lies the mountain range of Lefka Ori. Furthermore, prevailing winds, such as those of the West side and South of Crete, in addition to the North side—all interact to form its climate.
Climate data for Chania Airport (Souda) 1971–2000 | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 14.0 (57.2) |
14.3 (57.7) |
16.1 (61.0) |
19.9 (67.8) |
24.5 (76.1) |
29.0 (84.2) |
30.5 (86.9) |
30.0 (86.0) |
27.5 (81.5) |
23.4 (74.1) |
19.0 (66.2) |
15.6 (60.1) |
22.0 (71.6) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 10.8 (51.4) |
11.0 (51.8) |
12.4 (54.3) |
15.8 (60.4) |
20.1 (68.2) |
24.7 (76.5) |
26.6 (79.9) |
25.9 (78.6) |
23.2 (73.8) |
19.4 (66.9) |
15.3 (59.5) |
12.4 (54.3) |
18.1 (64.6) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 8.1 (46.6) |
8.0 (46.4) |
8.9 (48.0) |
11.7 (53.1) |
15.2 (59.4) |
19.2 (66.6) |
21.4 (70.5) |
21.3 (70.3) |
19.1 (66.4) |
15.9 (60.6) |
12.4 (54.3) |
9.7 (49.5) |
14.2 (57.6) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 126.4 (4.98) |
101.9 (4.01) |
81.2 (3.20) |
26.9 (1.06) |
11.2 (0.44) |
2.0 (0.08) |
1.4 (0.06) |
1.4 (0.06) |
15.2 (0.60) |
61.5 (2.42) |
86.7 (3.41) |
98.9 (3.89) |
614.7 (24.21) |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 17.0 | 14.7 | 12.0 | 7.8 | 3.9 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 9.8 | 10.8 | 15.8 | 96.6 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 118.1 | 135.6 | 188.0 | 240.9 | 303.0 | 355.4 | 376.7 | 355.7 | 281.9 | 208.7 | 138.0 | 111.7 | 2,813.7 |
Source: Climate Atlas-Hellenic National Meteorological Service.[17] |
Government
The municipality of Chania was formed in the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following seven former municipalities, that became municipal units:[18]
The municipality has an area of 351.306 km2 (135.640 sq mi), the municipal unit 12.564 km2 (4.851 sq mi).[19] The municipality forms the eastern shore of Chania Bay (Kolpos Chanion Κόλπος Χανίων) and is bordered by Platanias (6) to the west, Sfakia (7) to the south and Apokoronas (2) to the east.
Culture
There are several museums, art galleries, theatre and music groups, educational and research institutions within the city.
The most important museums in Chania are:
- Chania's new Archaeological Museum at 15 Skra Str. Chalepa, Chania, replaces the former Archeological Museum of Chania. The museum houses findings from different parts of the region and from several historical and prehistorical periods.
- Folklore Museum (Old Town)
- Historical Archive[20] (the second most important in Greece)
- Nautical Museum of Crete (Old Town)
- Municipal Art Gallery[21]
- Byzantine/Post-Byzantine Collection (Old Town)
- House of Eleftherios Venizelos[22]
- Museum of Chemistry
- School life museum
- Museum of Typography, Chania
Several theatre groups are active in Chania with the most important being the Municipal and Regional Theatre of Crete (DI.PE.THE.K).
There are five
There are numerous cafes, restaurants and bars throughout the Old Town and especially around the old Venetian harbour, at Enetiki Tafros (Venetian moat) and at Splantzia square, but also along the waterfront of the Koum Kapi and Nea Hora neighbourhoods. In summer, the bars and restaurants at Platanias and Agia Marina are also busy.
During the summer period a variety of cultural events take place on a daily basis. Theatrical plays, concerts and several exhibitions from Greek and foreign artists are organized either by the municipality or by individuals. A venue which hosts many of these events is a theater located in the east bulwark of the Old Town ("Anatoliki Tafros"). Also, several festivals, conferences and sport events take place in Chania, especially between May and September. The Venizeleia athletics competition is one of the most noteworthy events of the year.[citation needed]
A major role in the city's cultural life is played by the Municipal Cultural Corporation of Chania (DI.P.E.X.)[24] which organizes a significant part of the events taking place throughout the year.
There is a French, a German, an Italian and a Swedish consulate in Chania.
Sports
The main clubs for
There is also an open swimming pool for water sports in Nea Chora. A new indoor one which has been built on the nearby Akrotiri Peninsula in 2006, but has not opened to the public yet because of the estimated operational costs.[citation needed] A modern indoor stadium for basketball, volleyball and more, called Chania Kladissos Indoor Hall, has also been built between 2002 and 2005 near Nea Chora (Kladisos area).
There is a very active climbing and hiking club (Greek Mountaineering Club of Chania, E.O.S. Chanion[26]) organizing weekly excursions of varying difficulty on the mountains of Crete and several other longer term missions in mainland Greece and abroad.
Education and research
Educational institutions located at the greater area of the city are:
- Technical University of Crete
- The Chania branch of the Technological Educational Institute of Crete[27]
- The Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania
- The Merchant Marine Academy of Crete (AEN KRITIS)
Other research and intellectual institutes and societies in Chania are:
- The National Research Foundation "Eleftherios K. Venizelos"[28]
- The Mediterranean Architecture Centre (KAM)[29]
- The Institute of SubtropicalPlants of Chania
- The Institute of Cretan Law
- The Historical, Laographical and Archaeological Society of Crete
- Institute of Regional Press, Chania
Primary and secondary schools are mainly public in Chania (as in all cities in Greece). However, there has been a slow development of some private high schools recently. Among the "Eniaia Lykeia" (Unified Upper Secondary Schools) of the town there is an autonomous Ecclesiastical Lyceum in Agios Mattheos.
Economy
Two main sources of wealth in Chania are
On the other hand, starting from the early 1970s, tourism has developed rapidly.[30] Nowadays the tertiary sector is becoming more and more important for the locals, since an increasing number of them are participating in the business.
An important centre of the economic activities in the town is the Chania Chamber of Commerce and Industry (E.B.E.X.).[31]
Health care
The main hospital in the city is the General Hospital "Agios Georgios". Other health institutions include the Crete Naval Hospital, the branch of the National Centre for Emergency Medical Care (E.K.A.B.), and the Clinic of Chronic Disease. The Chania branch of the Organisation Against Drugs (Ο.ΚΑ.ΝΑ.) opened in 2003.[citation needed]
The city has a number of private clinics (e.g., Iasis and Central Clinic of Chania[32]), as well as medical centres specialising in various areas.[citation needed]
Transport
The city is served by
Souda, some 7 km (4.3 mi) from Chania, is the city's port, with daily ferries to Piraeus. Souda also hosts Crete Naval Base, a major Greek and NATO base.
Motorway 90 runs along the north coast of Crete connecting Chania to Kissamos in the west and Heraklion and Sitia to the east. It is currently being upgraded to motorway standard and is expected to be completed by 2028.
Notable residents
- Elpis Melena (1818–1899), born as Marie Espérance von Schwartz, German writer
- Eleftherios Venizelos (1864–1936), prime minister of Greece 1910–1920, 1924, 1928–1932, 1933; widely considered as the most important statesman of modern Greece born in the village Therisso
- Alexis Minotis (1898–1990), stage and screen actor active between the 1930s–1980s
- Constantine Mitsotakis (1918–2017), politician, prime minister of Greece 1990–1993, and later the honorary president of the New Democracy party. Father of prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and former foreign minister Dora Bakoyianni.
- George Psychoundakis (1920–2006), Cretan WW II hero and author
- John Craxton (1922–2009), painter and British honorary consul
- Maro Douka (1947–), Greek novelist
- Ioanna Karystiani (1952–), Greek novelist
- Christos Sartzetakis (1929–2022), President of the Third Hellenic Republic from 1985 to 1990
- Mikis Theodorakis (1925–2021), Greek composer
- Nikos Christodoulakis (1952–), Greek politician, economics professor and electronics engineer, Minister for Economy and Finance of Greece from 2001 to 2004
- Nana Mouskouri (1934–), Greek singer, one of the top-selling female singers of all time
- John Aniston (1933-2022), actor and father of well-known American actress Jennifer Aniston
- Eftichios Vlahakis(1935-2014), Greek-American entrepreneur
- Charis Galanakis (1981–), Greek agricultural, food and environmental scientist
- Stefanos Kasselakis (1988 -), candidate for the 2023 SYRIZA leadership.
Twin towns – sister cities
Chania is
Gallery
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Map of Chania, 1680
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Küçük Hasan Pasha Mosque, Ottoman mosque now used as an exhibition hall
-
Evangelistria church
-
Statue of Francis of Assisi outside the Catholic church of Chania
-
View from the old Venetian quarter
-
Inside the Firkas Fortress
-
Clock tower of Chania
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A ruined street in Chania's Christian quarter following fighting between the town's Christians and Muslims, 1897.
-
The church of Saint Rocco in Splantzia.
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The Orthodox Cathedral.
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Prefecture building, Eleftherias Square
-
View of the promenade
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A street in the old town
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Church of St Elijah at the Venizelos Graves
See also
- Cretan cuisine
- Chania Power Station
- List of settlements in the Chania regional unit
- Mount Tityros
- Presentation of the Virgin Mary Cathedral, Chania(Greek Orthodox)
- Assumption Cathedral, Chania (Roman Catholic)
References
- ^ Palaeolexicon, Word study tool of ancient languages
- ^ Hogan, C Michael (January 23, 2008). "Cydonia". The Modern Antiquarian. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
Cydonia is one of the five great cities of Minoan Crete, although exact location of the ancient city was not even resolved until the latter half of the 20th century. The most powerful centre of western Crete, Cydonia produced Bronze Age pottery and Linear B writings circa 1700 to 1500 BC, and was one of the first cities of Europe to mint coinage. A temple of Britomartis was erected on Mount Tityros near the city. HISTORY Cydonia was likely established as a Neolithic settlement in the fourth millennium BC. Archaeological excavations in the old town of present day Chania have revealed the remains of Middle Minoan Period Cydonia. These explorations are difficult, since the entire Venetian city of Chania was developed over Cydonia, with virtually no recorded medieval or modern mention of the ancient city specifics until the first finds in 1965. (Andreadaki,) Ancient mention of the civilization in Cydonia is also made by Polybius, Strabo, Scylax and by Hanno in the Periplus. (Smith, 1878) Pashley was able to work out rather accurately the location of ancient Cydonia without any archaeological data; he deduced the location near the port and Old Town from passages in the classical literature. (Pashley, 1837)
- OCLC 1062273753.
- ^ "Turkish Occupation in Crete - Crete TOURnet - Greece". www.crete.tournet.gr. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
- ^ "Turkish Occupation in Crete - Crete TOURnet - Greece". www.crete.tournet.gr. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
- ^ "Turkish Occupation in Crete - Crete TOURnet - Greece". www.crete.tournet.gr. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
- ^ "Turkish Occupation in Crete - Crete TOURnet - Greece". www.crete.tournet.gr. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
- ^ "Turkish Occupation in Crete - Crete TOURnet - Greece". www.crete.tournet.gr. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
- ^ A. Adiyeke. "Crete in the Ottoman Administration Before the Population Exchange". Archived from the original on 2017-04-27. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ "Google Maps". Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ "Koum Kapi - A pretty quarter in Chania city full of history". Chania Holidays. 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
- ^ "Ραγδαία αλλά "άναρχη" ανάπτυξη στα Κουνουπιδιανά - Χανιώτικα Νέα" (in Greek). 2021-02-15. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
- ^ ΕΜΥ
- ^ Κρήτης, Αγώνας της (2017-02-12). "13 Φεβρουαρίου 2004: Όταν όλη η Κρήτη από τις παραλίες ως τα βούνα της ντύθηκε στα άσπρα | Φωτός+Βίντεο". Αγώνας της Κρήτης. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
- ^ "Khamsin and Foehn winds lead a major dust outbreak in Crete". www.beyond-eocenter.eu. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
- ^ "Ο μακρύς πρώτος φετινός καύσωνας σε αριθμούς και ρεκόρ". Χανιώτικα Νέα (in Greek). 2021-07-04. Retrieved 2021-07-04.
- ^ Κλιματικός Άτλαντας της Ελλάδας [Climatic Atlas of Greece]. Εθνική Μετεωρολογική Υπηρεσία [Hellenic National Meteorological Service] (in Greek).
- ^ "ΦΕΚ A 87/2010, Kallikratis reform law text" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
- ^ "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-21.
- ^ Historical Archive of Crete Archived October 5, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Local index - HTTrack Website Copier". Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ Εθνικό Ίδρυμα Ερευνών και Μελετών "Ελευθέριος Κ.Βενιζέλος" - Ο τομέας δεν βρέθηκε (ή δεν είναι ενεργός). Venizelos Foundation. Archived from the original on 2004-01-10. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
- ^ [1] Archived April 11, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Dipeh news | Κοινωφελής Επιχείρηση Δήμου Χανίων Archived October 6, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Ναυτικός Όμιλος Χανίων". Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ Σχολή Ορειβασίας Αρχαρίων 2014 0
- ^ "ΤΕΙ Κρήτης - Παράρτημα Χανίων, Καλως ήρθατε". Archived from the original on 2006-07-18. Retrieved 2006-10-06.
- ^ Εθνικό Ίδρυμα Ερευνών και Μελετών "Ελευθέριος Κ.Βενιζέλος" - Ο τομέας δεν βρέθηκε (ή δεν είναι ενεργός). Venizelos Foundation. Archived from the original on 2013-06-17. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
- ^ ΚΕΝΤΡΟ ΑΡΧΙΤΕΚΤΟΝΙΚΗΣ ΜΕΣΟΓΕΙΟΥ - Η αρχιτεκτονική είναι η τέχνη διαχείρισης του χώρου, είναι πράξη πολιτισμού. Archived from the original on 2016-01-09. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
- ^ "Πως αναπτύχθηκε ο τουρισμός στην Κρήτη – Όλο το χρονικό από την εποχή του Βενιζέλου". ΝΕΟΙ ΟΡΙΖΟΝΤΕΣ (in Greek). 2020-07-30. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
- ^ "Επιμελητήριο Χανίων - Αρχική". Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ ΚΕΝΤΡΙΚΗ ΚΛΙΝΙΚΗ ΤΣΕΠΕΤΗ Α.Ε. "Κεντρική Κλινική Τσεπέτη - Γενική Κλινική Χανιά Κρήτη". ΚΕΝΤΡΙΚΗ ΚΛΙΝΙΚΗ ΤΣΕΠΕΤΗ Α.Ε. Retrieved 2016-03-25.
- ^ "Αδελφοποιήσεις Δήμου Χανίων". chania.gr (in Greek). Chania. Retrieved 2020-01-10.