Souda is the main town in the municipality of the same name, with the town hall found in Souda itself. The municipality extends from Chania's hinterland (Souda, Nerokourou and Tsikalaria) along the coast, taking in the villages of Kalami and Megala Chorafia.
The Mayor of Souda, as of 2005, is Ioannis Perakis. Around 8,000 people live in the municipality, the majority in Souda itself. Due to the area's beautiful views across the sea and up to the White Mountains and its proximity to Chania, there is a great deal of pressure to build new houses and apartments. However, there has been some protection afforded by the restrictions of having a military base in the area.
Souda is 6.5 km to the east of central Chania, although the area in between is mostly built-up. The town is a relatively new settlement, built on what used to be salt beds and marshland. The Turks knew the area as 'Tuzla', their name for salt-beds. In the 1870s, they began to build a new settlement here which grew as the port expanded.
Now Souda is the arrival point for ferries from Pireaus. There is also a NATO naval base located in Souda and across the bay, with military accommodation and hospital in the town. Much of the command, particularly for US forces, is found across the bay on the Akrotiri, were one can find the Allied war cemetery, mostly of soldiers from World War II. There are 1,527 graves, mostly British with 447 New Zealanders and 197 Australians. Buried in the cemetery is the archaeologist John Pendlebury who was the curator at Knossos for the British School in Athens and had been continuing excavations in Crete until the war. He was executed by the Germans in 1941 whilst working for British Intelligence.
If one should come from the Airport road and take the descent to Souda the views from this point are both domineering and needless to say breathtaking the Souda Harbour is the largest harbour in the Mediterranean – This huge natural harbour is the gateway to the sea not just for the Chania area but also for western Crete as a whole. It is one of the largest and safest bays in the Mediterranean, which is why it is used today as a naval base. The town was founded at the end of the 19th century. In the middle Ages it was a pirates’ lair. There are two small islands at the entrance to the bay, Souda and Minoa, which were known by the name of Lefkai in antiquity. According to the myths this was the spot where the Sirens plunged into the sea and drowned themselves in their fury over being defeated by the Muses. On Souda Island the Venetians built a fine fortress in 1205 to defend the bay against pirate raids and the attacks of their enemies. The skill of their fortifications was such that the Turks were unable to capture the fortress for 70 whole years after they had taken Chania. After its fortification it took the name of Souda, which means trench – a narrow passage. After the island was liberated from the Turks, a marble slab was set up in the place where the Turkish flag had been hoisted in which the inscription states:
1669-1913
Lasted 267 years, 7 months and 7 days
The fortress contains a little Venetian church to St Nicholas; however, all that is left of the monastery today is its sanctuary.
The art village is located between Souda and Tsikalaria, at the west entrance of Chania. There are several remains of the ceramic-pot factories and ovens in the village, when pot-making was a popular activity and a local product.
Contact Information
Tel: 28210-89864 and 28210-80224
Some events and happenings take place during the Carnival in February and March.
A series of cultural activities take place in June during the “Nautical week”.
Telephone Centre: 28210 20501
Citizen Information Centre: 28210 23617
Public Water sports Centre: 28210 89212
Souda Tennis Club: 28210 80178
Library: 28210 89070
Port Authority: 28210 89240
Police Station: 28210 89316/89884
Fire Brigade: 199
Emergencies: 100
Ambulance Services: 166
The + symbol can also be replaced with 00 when dialling outside of Greece.
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