Municipal Market of Chania

Η Municipal Market of Chania -although it is not in the glory it experienced throughout the 20th century- it remains one of the emblematic buildings of the city, as it is an architectural gem for Chania and is one of the most impressive in the Balkans.

Until the end of the 19th century, the place where the market is now, here was the edge of the city. In this area were temporarily installed open-air butchers, fishmongers, vegetable shops, inns, etc.

The image they presented was bad, which is why the Municipality of Chania decided in 1908 to beautify the place by building a municipal market. Designed by the local engineer Drandakis, following the model of the covered market of Marseilles, construction began in 1911.

This was preceded by the demolition of much of the Venetian walls, in the context of modernizing the development and unification of the old with the new city - measures to protect Byzantine and Venetian fortifications were introduced much later, in the 1960s.

The Municipal Market of Chania was inaugurated in 1913 by Eleftherios Venizelos. It has a cross shape and 4 doors, one in each wing. At the beginning, in the eastern and western part, butchers were housed, at the end of the Western portico, the fishmongers, and in the northern and southern part, the fruit and vegetable shops. The first store at the entrance was a police station, in the center there was a municipal scale, while there were some kitchens scattered.

Just opposite the Municipal Market was the famous London Bar, where the fleets of the patron Great Powers of the Cretan State were entertained, entertained by artists brought from Europe, including Madame Hortense starring in "Alexis Zorba" by N. Kazantzakis.

For years the Municipal Market was the center of the city of Chania. Over time, the fish market in Souda, the vegetable market outside the city center, and thus the central market weakened, and many of the shops were turned into tourist souvenir shops.

Nevertheless, the Municipal Market of Chania still impresses the visitor with its architecture, its goodies and of course its cooking with their libidinal food.