St Mark's Basilica
ABOUT
Located at the heart of Heraklion in Eleftherios Venizelos Square, the Basilica of St Mark, constructed in the early Venetian period in 1239, served as the venue for the formal assumption of lordly and official responsibilities.
Following the Turkish conquest in 1669, the church underwent a transformation into a mosque, known as the Defterdar Ahmet Pasha Mosque, which lasted until 1915. Subsequently, after extensive renovations in 1956, it has functioned as a municipal art gallery, making it one of the rare Catholic Church buildings to endure in Cretan cities.
From an architectural point of view, the church is a three-aisled basilica with the central aisle elevated. In front of the entrance on the west façade there is an arcade.
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