Center of Mediterranean Architecture (Great Shipyard)
31 Akti Tombazi Street, Chania
The Center of Mediterranean Architecture is hosted in the Great Shipyard (Megalo Arsenali) of Chania, the last of the 17 shipyards located in the Venetian port of Chania. The construction of the building started in 1585 by Alvise Grimani. During the Ottoman Era, in 1872, a floor was added and a new era arrived for the Great Arsenali. The building hosted several important Public Services, such as the School of the Christian Community. In 1892 it housed and theatrical performances in its great hall. It was also used as a public hospital, since 1923, and as City Hall from 1828 to 1941.
In 1997, after a movement of the locals and under the context of the National Cultural Network of Cities, the Ministry of Culture signed the founding of the Center of Mediterranean Architecture. The Centre's aim is to encourage both professionals and non-professionals to participate in shaping the built and natural environment, determine the function and the aesthetics of the city and the quality of life of its inhabitants. Therefore scientific seminars, conferences, lectures and international exhibitions are organized here.
It has collaborated with several Organizations such as the University of Crete, the departments of Architecture of various universities (such as Athens Technical University, Thessaloniki University, University of Thessaly, Patras, Democritus University of Xanthi and Technical University Crete), the School of Fine Arts, the European Association for Architectural Education , the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art in Thessaloniki, the Goethe Institute and the French Institute, the embassies of France, Switzerland, Japan, Norway, the Greek Architecture Institute, the Institute of Modern Greek Culture in Berlin, etc.
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