The Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, and the Regional Governor of Crete, Stavros Arnaoutakis, signed a Cultural Development Program Agreement for the restoration and promotion of the historic I. Chronakis House, owned by the Ministry of Culture. The signing of the agreement lays the foundations for the start of procedures to return this important monument, which has remained closed and inactive for many years, to the city of Heraklion and the public.

According to the plans, the Chronaki House will be an exhibition space for Cretan weaving art and folklore, accessible to people with disabilities, as well as a venue for educational workshops and demonstrations. The exhibition space will host, in physical and digital form, selected works from the collections of the folklore archive of the Lyceum of Greek Women.

Immediately after the signing, Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni stated:

”The Chronaki House is a special monument within the Venetian walls of the city of Heraklion, with significant historical and architectural value. The signing of the Programmatic Agreement between the Ministry of Culture and the Region of Crete, following our decision in July 2025 to grant it to the Lyceum of Greek Women free of charge for ten years, marks the beginning of our coordinated effort to transform the building from a state of inactivity to creative use and make it a vibrant cultural hub in the heart of the city. Our harmonious, stable, and proven effective cooperation with the Region of Crete, as well as the active contribution of the Lyceum of Greek Women-Heraklion Branch, create the conditions for the use and optimal utilization of the monument, which will not be limited to the restoration of the building, but will extend to its educational, research, and social dimensions. This is a cultural investment with a developmental footprint, which highlights local identity and gives Heraklion a new quality space for its citizens and visitors. The art of weaving in Crete, as well as its teaching, with its unique qualities, finds its ideal home here. The promotion of the art of weaving has a clear cultural and developmental significance for the local community.”

The Regional Governor of Crete, Stavros Arnaoutakis, stated:

“The Chronaki House, a listed monument within the Venetian Walls and one of the few surviving examples of Balkan architecture in Heraklion, is entering a new phase. The Region of Crete, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, will support the project at all the necessary stages, from the completion of the studies to the final implementation, so that an important historical building, fully restored and functional, can be handed over to the community. With the free transfer of the building to the Lyceum of Greek Women by the Ministry of Culture, we are creating an active cultural hub and a modern Museum of Cretan Weaving Art in the heart of the historic center of Heraklion.

The Chronaki House, owned by the Ministry of Culture, is a listed monument located within the Venetian Walls of Heraklion. In July 2025, by decision of the Minister of Culture, the building was granted free of charge for ten years to the Lyceum of Greek Women – Heraklion Branch. The monument needs to be restored in order to make it safe and functional for new uses as a cultural hub in the historic center of the city. The project will be implemented by the Technical Works Department of the Regional Unit of Heraklion, while a four-member Contract Monitoring Committee will be set up by decision of the Regional Governor of Crete, with the participation of representatives of all contracting parties.