The Church of Saint Nicholas (Greek: Ιερός Ναός Αγίου Νικολάου) is a Greek Orthodox church located in the Splanzia square in the town of Chania, Crete, Greece. It is dedicated to Saint Nicholas. Originally a Catholic church, it was converted into a mosque during the Ottoman period and then back into a church in the twentieth century. It is the only building in Greece to possess both a bell tower and a minaret.
The church was built around 1320 by the Dominican brotherhood of Candia as a Catholic cathedral. When Cretefell to the Ottoman Turks in the seventeenth century, the church was converted into a mosque known as the Hünkar Mosque (“sovereign’s mosque”). Accordingly, Splanzia became the Muslim quarter of the town.[1][2]
In the mosque was kept the sacred sword of the Turkish Dervish, who first entered the city, climbed the bell tower and with the sword circled the four points of the horizon calling the faithful to prayer with the phrase: "There is only one God and his prophet is Muhammad".[1]
Throughout the period of the Turkish rule and up to 1912 when Crete was annexed by the Kingdom of Greece, the Dervish sword remained in the Saint Nicholas until the exchange of Muslim and Christian populations between Turkey and Greece in 1923, when the Muslim population that had to depart Crete and took it with them.[1]
In 1918 the mosque was converted back into a Christian church, Orthodox this time.[1]
Structureedit
Architecturally, the Monastery of Saint Nicholas of the Dominicans is a basilica.[1]
The original bell tower of Saint Nicholas was located in the northeast of the church, but it did not survive and had to be rebuilt. To the west of the church is the atrium of the enclosed courtyard of the church, which served as a cemetery for nobles during both the Venetian and Turkish periods.[1]
For the conversion of the Catholic church into an Islamic mosque in the year 1645, the necessary additions of the mihrab, the minbar and the minaret were made. It was the most important mosque of Chania and its minaret stood out due to its two balconies.[2]
The minaret of Hünkar Mosque was built in contact with the southern side of the building and facing its western end; the western side of the minaret was built in contact with a pre-existing two-storey building of the monastery which was demolished some time later. The minaret is cylindrical and is of the classical Ottoman style. The current height of the minaret reaches about 36 metres in height, while together with the conical roof (which is no longer preserved) it should have exceeded forty metres.[2]
Χατζηδάκης, Άρης; Νηστικούλη, Άλκη (2009). Η Αποκατάσταση του Μιναρέ της Σπλιάντζας Χανίων [The Restoration of the Minaret of the Splanzia of Chania]. University Studio Press.
Further readingedit
Ανδριανάκης, Μιχάλης Γ., Γιαπιτσόγλου, Κωνσταντίνος, Χριστιανικά Μνημεία της Κρήτης, Συνοδική Επιτροπή Θρησκευτικού Τουρισμού της Εκκλησίας Κρήτης: Μ.Κ.Ο. "Φιλοξενία", Ηράκλειο 2012.
Ψιλάκης, Βασίλειος, Ιστορία της Κρήτης: από της απωτάτης αρχαιότητος μέχρι των καθ' ημάς χρόνων, τ. Γ΄, εκδ. Νέα Έρευνα, εν Χανίοις, 1909.
External linksedit
Media related to Church of Saint Nicholas, Chania at Wikimedia Commons
May 08, 2024
church, saint, nicholas, chania, church, saint, nicholas, greek, Ιερός, Ναός, Αγίου, Νικολάου, greek, orthodox, church, located, splanzia, square, town, chania, crete, greece, dedicated, saint, nicholas, originally, catholic, church, converted, into, mosque, d. The Church of Saint Nicholas Greek Ieros Naos Agioy Nikolaoy is a Greek Orthodox church located in the Splanzia square in the town of Chania Crete Greece It is dedicated to Saint Nicholas Originally a Catholic church it was converted into a mosque during the Ottoman period and then back into a church in the twentieth century It is the only building in Greece to possess both a bell tower and a minaret Saint Nicholas ChurchReligionAffiliationGreek OrthodoxDistrictArchbishopric of CreteLocationLocationChania GreeceShown within GreeceGeographic coordinates35 30 59 N 24 01 20 E 35 51639 N 24 02222 E 35 51639 24 02222ArchitectureCompleted1320SpecificationsHeight max 36 mMinaret s 1 Contents 1 History 2 Structure 3 Gallery 4 See also 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 Further reading 8 External linksHistory editThe church was built around 1320 by the Dominican brotherhood of Candia as a Catholic cathedral When Crete fell to the Ottoman Turks in the seventeenth century the church was converted into a mosque known as the Hunkar Mosque sovereign s mosque Accordingly Splanzia became the Muslim quarter of the town 1 2 In the mosque was kept the sacred sword of the Turkish Dervish who first entered the city climbed the bell tower and with the sword circled the four points of the horizon calling the faithful to prayer with the phrase There is only one God and his prophet is Muhammad 1 Throughout the period of the Turkish rule and up to 1912 when Crete was annexed by the Kingdom of Greece the Dervish sword remained in the Saint Nicholas until the exchange of Muslim and Christian populations between Turkey and Greece in 1923 when the Muslim population that had to depart Crete and took it with them 1 In 1918 the mosque was converted back into a Christian church Orthodox this time 1 Structure editArchitecturally the Monastery of Saint Nicholas of the Dominicans is a basilica 1 The original bell tower of Saint Nicholas was located in the northeast of the church but it did not survive and had to be rebuilt To the west of the church is the atrium of the enclosed courtyard of the church which served as a cemetery for nobles during both the Venetian and Turkish periods 1 For the conversion of the Catholic church into an Islamic mosque in the year 1645 the necessary additions of the mihrab the minbar and the minaret were made It was the most important mosque of Chania and its minaret stood out due to its two balconies 2 The minaret of Hunkar Mosque was built in contact with the southern side of the building and facing its western end the western side of the minaret was built in contact with a pre existing two storey building of the monastery which was demolished some time later The minaret is cylindrical and is of the classical Ottoman style The current height of the minaret reaches about 36 metres in height while together with the conical roof which is no longer preserved it should have exceeded forty metres 2 Gallery editSaint Nicholas Church nbsp Lower angle nbsp Interior nbsp Interior nbsp Byzantine coat of arms nbsp Rear viewSee also editCatholic Church in Greece List of former mosques in GreeceReferences edit a b c d e f Monh Agioy Nikolaoy Dominikanwn Church of Saint Nicholas of the Dominicans greece terrabook com Retrieved October 10 2022 a b c Xatzhdakhs amp Nhstikoylh 2009 pp 364 365 Bibliography editXatzhdakhs Arhs Nhstikoylh Alkh 2009 H Apokatastash toy Minare ths Spliantzas Xaniwn The Restoration of the Minaret of the Splanzia of Chania University Studio Press Further reading editAndrianakhs Mixalhs G Giapitsogloy Kwnstantinos Xristianika Mnhmeia ths Krhths Synodikh Epitroph 8rhskeytikoy Toyrismoy ths Ekklhsias Krhths M K O Filo3enia Hrakleio 2012 PSilakhs Basileios Istoria ths Krhths apo ths apwtaths arxaiothtos mexri twn ka8 hmas xronwn t G ekd Nea Ereyna en Xaniois 1909 External links edit nbsp Media related to Church of Saint Nicholas Chania at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Church of Saint Nicholas Chania amp oldid 1183202857, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
