Maritime Museum of Crete

Museum Type Special Interests
City Chania
Address Akti Kountourioti
Postal Code 73136
Telephone28210-91875
Fax 28210-74484
Email info@mar-museum-crete.cha.forthnet.gr

Museum Description

The Maritime Museum of Crete was founded in Chania to shelter, protect and exhibit our naval traditions - esspesialy Cretan naval tradition - which have always be source of National survival and inspiration. In these web pages are briefly presented the contexts and activities of our Mousem, having the ambition to spread the in every corner of Greece and adroad.

LOCATION
In the entrance of Chania's harbour stands the "Firka" fortress, which was builded by the Venetians in order to establish the local guard and to use it as a prison for condemned to death.

Later, the Turks (1669-1898) used it for the same purpose and established the command of the division. Since then remained the name "Firka" which in Turkish language means DIVISION.

In the entrance of this fortress is located the Maritime Museum of Crete, having a privileged position thus here in 1st December 1913 the greek flag was raised crowning the Union of Crete with Mother Greece.

THE FOUNDING OF THE MUSEUM
The Maritime Museum of Crete was founded on 27 of May 1973. Founder of the Museum was Vice Admiral Ar. Yannopoulos, who at that time served as Admiral Commander of Comanding Concern in Chania.

For this reason was honoured by the Municipality of Chania with the Town's Golden Medal. With the cooperation of fine officers and distinguished citizens of Crete set the foundings of the Museum , where the next generation builded the institution you see today.

The MMC is supported by the Greek Navy and functions with the solidarity of the Municipality of Chania and Crete's Naval Base.

Today the work of the founder is continued by the president of the MMC, ex-Vice Admiral K. Manioudakis supported with other retired Greek Navy officers and distinguished members of Chania's society, who forms the Council. The result of this collective work has brought the Museum in an equal level of European ones.

MUSEUM GOALS
The Museum's goal is the preservation and promotion of Greece's and specially Crete's naval traditions, which were sources of survival, progress and national glory. The attainment of this goal is pursued by :

a. obtaining by money, donation or transportation, relics which are connected with Greek naval history, such as weapons, naval organs, pictures, models, historical ships, statues, documents, books etc. for the enrichment of its archives and library.

b. Competitions and awards (financial-honorary) for studies concerning greek naval history.

c. Financial aid for historical research concerning the Navy or the assign of specific scientific works to researchers.

d. The development and the proper promotion of love for the sea with suitable ways (organisation of sea games, lectures, excursions, ceremonies, celebrations concerning naval history, educational programs).

e. The publication of writings, magazines, reviews, as well as publications of articles in newspapers concerning the Museum's activities.

LIBRARY:
The library of the Museum contains Greek and foreign published books with naval context. It remains open at the working hours of the Museum.

- Adult 2.00 Euro
- Student 1.50 Euro
- Children under 6 years old, FREE

The Maritime Museum of Crete is a non-profidable union. With your ticket you contribute in its maintainance and improvement.

- Daily from 1 / 11 - 31 / 3 the Museum is open from 09:00 - 14:00.
- Daily from 1 / 4 - 31 / 10 the Museum is open from 09:00 - 16:00.

The Museum is closed on official bank holidays.

The first room of the Museum, which is also the reception, the visitor may view the symbols of the Greek naval tradition. St. Nikolaos, naval flags, an ancor, etc.

Ships from the Bronze age till the roman triremes and the Alexander's descendants navy. Models of triremes, biremes, ancient tradeships, the model and the reconstruction programm of the Minoan ship. Naval battle-plans from the Persian wars (Salamina, Mykali etc) and the Pelloponisian wars. Graphic maps from the Great Alexander's campaign and the sea-root of his Cretan Admiral Nearhos.

Here the visitor may view the portraits of naval leaders of the independence struggle, various ship models of the rebels, a uniform of a sailor and a cut of a firship. The jewel of the room is "Aris Tsamadou", the heroic ship that dishtinguished in the naval battles against the Turks. Here the struggles of Crete are reviving, till the day that the island was united with Greece.