Everything about Souda totally explained
Souda or
Suda (
Greek: Σούδα) is a town and municipality of the
Greek island of
Crete, in the prefecture of
Chania. It is an important ferry and naval port at the head of
Souda Bay.
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. Souda Bay is one of the deepest natural harbours in the
Mediterranean and is easy to defend.
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. A grain silo overshadows the centre of town. Perhaps because of its nature as a departure point and military town, it isn't popular with tourists and can appear seedy and threatening. However it's well-served with shops of all types and some renowned fish restaurants in the old centre. The Allied war cemetery, mostly of soldiers from
World War II, is found in Souda on the shore. There are 1,527 graves, mostly British with 447
New Zealanders and 197
Australians. Buried in the cemetery is the archaeologist
John Pendlebury. Pendlebury 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.
Souda municipality
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's 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.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Souda'.
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