It was built in 1776 by Hadji Ibrahim aga. In order to keep it working, he dedicated almost all his property. It is unique in its kind that is still preserved today. It is of a circular type building with a "tholos" and around the walls there are semi-circular windows with rails, in front of each one of them there exist a tap with a stone basin for the water to be collected. Today it is used as a coffeehouse.

It is next to the external Gate of St. George, underneath the statue of Eleutherios Venizelos. Within an arched construction, which its top is decorated with floral elements, there is a plaque and the spout is within a relief decorated frame. The water was collected in a marble basin of a similar decoration.

It is in the Ikarou Avenue, next to the Epigraphic Collection of Heraklion Museum. Within an arched construction which, is surrounded by two big square columns, decorated with rosettes, there is a relief spout of fine workmanship. The water is gathered in a marble basin adorned by a richly decorated relief.

The Basilica of Saint Mark is one of the most important Venetian buildings-monuments in Heraklion. Today it houses the city’s Municipal Art Gallery. The Venetians, wishing to consolidate their dominance over their new colony (Heraklion) and to express their gratitude and love for their mother country, built a church in the city’s centre dedicated to Saint Mark, patron saint of Venice. The Basilica managed to survive various earthquakes which afflicted Heraklion over the centuries with only minor repairs. During the Turkish rule it was converted into a mosque, the Defterdar Mosque, named after Defterdar Ahmet Pasha, the head of the financial department. The Ottomans demolished the bell-tower of the basilica and raised a minaret in its place, which in its turn was taken down by the residents of Heraklion after the liberation of the island in their attempt to erase the unpleasant reminders and symbols of the Turkish occupation.

The Gate of Agios Geórgios (GR: Πύλη Αγίου Γεωργίου - Saint George also called the Gate of Maroula or Lazaretto) was one of the central gates of Chandax during the Venetian period. Today it connects Eleftherias Square with Ikarou Avenue and at the same time is used as an exhibition venue.
The gate used to lead towards the eastern provinces of the city, the Maroula suburb and the Lazaretto. Designed by Giulio Savorgnan and dedicated to St. George, the monumental city side facade featured a relief medallion of the warrior saint on horseback, set directly above the finely carved stones that formed the main portal. This monumental facade was demolished in 1917 for the opening of today’s Democratias Avenue. Of the gate today, its entrance towards Ikarou Avenue is preserved, the internal domed hall and part of its climbing arcade which have been restored by the Municipality of Heraklion.

Municipal theaters in Iraklion.
THEATRES

Theatrical Station

In the coastal street of Heraklion port there were two big warehouses. The Eastern one was given to the Municipality of Heraklion for the creation of a small theatrical station. This warehouse is made of stone with tile roof, an area of 680 sq.m., and shape almost rectangle. The project of its constuction, that began in 1986, allowed the conservation of the exterior style of the building. After the end of the construction in 1989, a lot of plays and cultural events (concerts, speeches and meetings) have been performed here.

 

Oasis ("Nikos Kazantzakis" Open Theatre)

Oasis is the part of the ditch of the new Venetian fortification that corresponds to the Rampant of Jesus. East of the entry of Oasis is the Cyprus square, roughly 600m from the centre of the city. For the first time, Oasis functioned as a small theatre during the 2nd world war when enough pines were cut. Then, up to 1963, a lot of assemblies took place here, mainly political. In 1963, the first serious effort of exploitation of Oasis as summer theatre, which was maintained up to 1976. In 1976 the theatre was created with the form that it has today. It became a modern open theatrical space of 1200 seats with all the necessary comforts.

 

"Manos Hatzidakis" Open Theatre

Behind the "N.Kazantzakis open theatre", in the low square of the Gate of Jesus, was made after the proposal of Manos Hatzidakis and the design of Dionysis Fotopoulos, the Small Open Theatre, that recently named after the famous composer. It is constructed in a way so that is not caused damage in the Venetian Walls, that have been characterized as preservable monuments. In the "Manos Hatzidakis open theatre" (400 - 450 seats), as in "N.Kazantzakis open theatre" a lot of important events took place during the Heraklion Summer Festival.

 

The Municipal building of Androgeo street

The Municipal building of Androgeo street is a modern construction that was finished in 1992. It is a building with five floors and two basements The building is behind the Municipal Gallery (the basilica of St Mark). In the ground floor of the building the Youth centre is housed. At the same place, computers are available to young people for free internet access. In the 2nd floor, a room of multiple uses has been created, equipped with the most modern devices, suitable for lectures, seminars, cinema and other type of events. Finally in the remaining floors of the building various Services of the Municipality of Heraklion are accomodated.

 

 

St.George's Gate

The gate of St. George was devoted to the military saint of the same name that was depicted in relief on his horse, above the central part of the entrance. The Venetian entrance - gate was located at the place where the bust of the Cretan writer Nikos Kazantzakis is found. The same gate was also known as Gate of Lazareto (which is the gate that was leading to the area of quarantine) or Gate of Maroula (which was leading to the homonymous suburb). It was one of the three land gates of the Venetian fortification with both military and non military use. Through this gate people and merchandise were circulating from the town and to the town from the eastern suburbs. Today the place, suitably equipped, is used for exhibitions and other cultural events.