On the eastern side of the Piazza dei Signiori stands the three-aisled timber-roofed basilica which was devoted to St. Marc and was built to fulfill the religious needs of the Duke and the Venetian authorities. The original building, which was founded in 1239, was reconstructed after the earthquake of 1304 and has been repeatedly restored, especially during the 16th c. After the fall of Candia to the Ottomans, the church was granted by the Grand Vizier Fazil Ahmet Paşa Köprülü to the defterdar Ahmet Paşa and was turned into a mosque, which functioned until 1915. Then the building was undertaken by the National Bank and subsequently by the municipality of Heraklion. The city council hired the building to a civilian who turned it to a cinema under the name Minoa. During the German seize the monument was turned into a warehouse. Finally, in 1956 the Society of Cretan Historical Studies took over the restoration of the church in its present condition.
| 1. Heraklion, Rabdh el Khandaq, Chandax, Candia, Megalo Kastro The adventure of a city | |
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| 1.1 Candia under the Venetian occupation | |
| 1.2 The public buildings | |
| 1.2.1 Ruga Magistra (Maistra) | |
| 1.2.2 The Ducal Palace | |
| 1.2.3 The Venetian Loggia | |
| 1.2.4 The Warehouse for the Cereals (Fondaco) | |
| 1.2.5 The Gate “Voltone” | |
| 1.3 The orthodox churches | |
| 1.3.1 St. Catherine of Sinai | |
| 1.3.2 Saint Anastasia | |
| 1.3.3 The Church of St. Mathew, dependency of Sinai | |
| 1.3.4 St. Onouphrios | |
| 1.3.5 Virgin of the Angels (Santa Maria degli Angelis in Beccharia) | |
| 1.3.6 Church of the Virgin Pantanassa (southern aisle of the old Metropolis / old church of St. Menas) | |
| 1.4 The Latin Churches | |
| 1.4.1 The basilica of St. Marc (ducal church) | |
| 1.4.2 The church of Saint John the Baptist | |
| 1.4.3 Saint Paul of the Servites (Servants of Mary) | |
| 1.4.4 The monastery of St. Francis of the Franciscans | |
| 1.4.5 Santa Maria di Piazza (Madonina) | |
| 1.4.6 The Monastery of St. Peter of the Dominicans | |
| 1.4.7 The Church of St. Titus (Latin Archdiocese) | |
| 1.4.8 The church of San Salvatore | |
| 1.5 The fountains and hydraulic works | |
| 1.5.1 The Fountain of the Ruga Panigra (Strata Larga) | |
| 1.5.2 The Bembo fountain | |
| 1.5.3 The Morozini Fountain | |
| 1.5.4 The Priuli fountain | |
| 1.5.5 The Sagredo fountain |