The Venetian Neoria of the Municipality of Chania will “be” in the leading international architecture exhibition, representing, together with the Neoria of Heraklion, the official participation of Greece in the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale until 10 November 2025.

At the opening of the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale, the General Secretary of Contemporary Culture, Eleni Doundoulaki, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, Efthymis Bakoyannis, were present, while the Municipality of Chania was represented by the Deputy Mayor of Culture, Yannis Giannakakis, the President of the Municipal Port Fund and Deputy Mayor of the Old Town, Manolis Kotsifakis.

The Venetian Neoria of Chania, a symbol of the maritime history and cultural heritage of Chania, were presented at the official Greek pavilion of the Biennale, with the submission of the proposal “Intelligens Historica” by the scientific team of the Technical University of Crete, under the architect Nikos Skoutelis. Through interactive exhibits, impressive 1:15 scale wooden reconstructions, artistic installations and multimedia presentations, visitors have the opportunity to learn about the history of the Nehoria, their role and contribution to shipbuilding, as well as their future use as cultural spaces.

The Mayor of Chania, Panagiotis Simandirakis said, “The participation of the Venetian Nave of Chania and Heraklion in the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale is a historic milestone for the Municipality of Chania and Crete as a whole! It is a magnificent distinction that promotes the unique cultural and architectural wealth of the city on a global level, enhancing its cultural identity and international reputation. The proposal entitled “Intelligens Historica”, under the guidance of Professor Nikos Skoutelis and his excellent team from the Technical University of Crete, was selected among many others to represent Greece in this great event. Chania and Crete can stand deservedly next to global architectural symbols, confirming their potential in the contemporary architectural scene.”