Chania Residence of Eleftherios Venizelos

Location: Halepa
Don't miss: Museums guide (free admission dates and other useful info)

The museum in the Residence of Eleftherios Venizelos is dedicated to the life and work of perhaps the greatest statesman in Greek history and is located in the Halepa suburb of Chania. Visitors to the mansion will have the opportunity to get a glimpse of the life of Venizelos and to learn about the history of modern Greece.

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Eleftherios Venizelos spent over 30 years of his life in this house. He lived here between 1880 and 1910, during which time Crete was under Ottoman suzerainty and then an autonomous state, before renting it out following his move to Athens to take up the Greek Premiership. He then returned in 1927, after his self-imposed exile to Paris, when the house was renovated, before returning to Paris in 1935.
Much of the ground and first floors are preserved exactly as they would have been during this time period, with Venizelos’ own furniture, in many cases unmoved from where he had it. This grants visitors a unique look into the private life of one of Greece’s most famous public figures, who found himself at the centre of the country’s politics for 20 years.

The house was heavily damaged by the bombings of 1941. During the subsequent Axis occupation, it was restored and functioned as the German governor’s headquarters. During this period, the Germans painted various murals on the walls, some of which are preserved on the ground floor.
Following the end of World War II, it was returned to the Venizelos family, including Sofoklis Venizelos, who also served as Prime Minister. The family maintained the house until 2002, when it was purchased by the Greek government and passed to the Venizelos Foundation. It was eventually turned into a museum, with its doors first opening in 2015.

There are 2 floors and an attic, with 18 visitable rooms in total, as well as walkable gardens outside the house. The museum's main collection consists of photographs, paintings, personal objects and decorative items, as well as antique furniture, handpicked by Venizelos and his wife, which came from Athens or abroad.
There are also special rooms dedicated to the specific parts of Venizelos’ life, namely “The Rebel”, “The Politician”, “The Diplomat”, “The Man”, and “The Myth”, as well as sections on the two assassination attempts he faced.
The attic has been furnished with an Interactive Activities Area, which offers activities and games for children to help bolster their learning process and bring them closer to history.

From June to September, the museum is open Monday to Friday, between 11:00 and 20:00, and on Saturday, between 11:00 and 18:00. The rest of the year, the museum is accessible Monday to Saturday from 11:00 to 17:30. It is shut on public holidays.
This house is not to be confused with Venizelos’ birth house, situated in Mournies.