The Venetian period in Crete left some of the most prominent monuments seen today, as the fortifications of Heraklion, Chania and Rethymnon. These monumental fortresses are, however, only some of the evidence of the over 450 years of the Venetian presence on the island. The Venetian monuments and evidence of the Venetian presence in East Crete are somewhat less prominent and, with some exceptions, have avoided a systematic study. Some of the best examples of Venetian period architecture include churches and fortifications. Due to often continuous occupation, the Venetian settlements are best known from historical documents, as little domestic architecture remains.

This lecture will attempt a reconstruction of the settlement pattern and microregions of Venetian East Crete, based on the historical documents as well as archaeological field reconnaissance. This will include the presentation of some of the more prominent monuments dating to the Venetian period in East Crete.

The presentation will be supplemented by GIS analysis of the collected data.

Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 12 pm EST, 7 pm in Greece, Zoom format
Please register for this lecture using this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/u7_eDM2ZRnmnmsqp7rt2SQ