The Chania lighthouse, originally built by the Venetians at the end of the 16th century, is one of the city’s most recognizable symbols. After suffering serious damage, it took over 200 years to be completed, when it was rebuilt by the Egyptians around 1830–1840, during the period when the British had ceded Crete to Egypt’s viceroy, Muhammad Ali. At the end of Ottoman rule, a staircase was added on the eastern side, along with conduits for seawater to pass beneath its base.
The lighthouse is 21 meters tall, while its focal point reaches 26 meters above the sea, with light visible up to 7 miles away. Its architecture combines different shapes: the base is octagonal, the middle section is hexadecagonal (16-sided), and the top is circular, creating a unique aesthetic. The lighthouse remains a landmark feature of Chania’s Venetian harbor.
