Discover Kissamos: Archaeology and the Maris Spring

Kissamos can be explored through its different facets: its Roman-influenced urban history, a peaceful spot in the town center and traditional architecture. The Archaeological Museum spans the region’s history from prehistoric times to Late Antiquity, with a particular focus on the Roman city of Kissamos. The Maris Spring and the Maris Mansion add different features to the townscape. You can therefore choose which themes to explore based on whether you are more interested in archaeological finds, a spot by the water or architectural history.

The Archaeological Museum and Roman Kissamos

The Archaeological Museum is housed in a Venetian-Ottoman monument. Since 2006, it has been located in the former Government House on Tzanakakis Square, within the Kastelli fortress. The building is a distinctive Venetian-era structure in the old town of Kissamos. Its incorporation into the fortress complex is connected to a later change: Ottoman occupiers extended the fortress walls, bringing the Government House within the complex. Different historical layers thus meet at this site: the Venetian building period, the later extension of the walls and its use as a museum since 2006.

The exhibition covers the history of the wider region from prehistoric times to Late Antiquity, but its focus is the Roman city of Kissamos. Hall 4, the museum’s largest hall, is dedicated to the urban villas of Greek-Roman Kissamos. Objects on display there include numerous mosaic floors, sculptures, table supports and a sundial. There is also an example of opus sectile: this technique involves laying colored marble to create a mosaic floor. The hall therefore has a narrower thematic focus than the regional exhibition as a whole. If you are particularly interested in the Roman city and its villas, this distinction makes the focus of each part of the exhibition clear.

Two details in the building also add to the picture of its history. At the entrance, a digital presentation provides information about the earthquake of 365 BC, which devastated western Crete. Near the stairs or elevator to the first floor, you can see a preserved section of an excavated Roman bath. The museum building was constructed over the bath during the Venetian occupation. The presentation draws attention to an event in regional history, while the remains of the bath point to a structural connection with the Roman past.

The Maris Spring and the Maris Mansion

The Maris Spring is in central Kissamos, next to the old town and the traditional Skalidi Street. Visitors can sit there and enjoy the peaceful surroundings and the sound of flowing water. When the spring was built is unknown; it is said to have flowed continuously for hundreds of years. The emphasis here is on a peaceful place to relax and the water, rather than on a precisely dated building history.

East of the Maris Spring, the Maris Mansion stands in the town. It is a two-storey building in Kissamos’s traditional architectural style. It complements the central waterside spot with another architectural facet of the town. While the description of the spring focuses on sitting, tranquility and the sound of flowing water, the mansion is distinguished by its traditional design.

If you are planning to visit the Archaeological Museum, check the current opening hours beforehand.

Discover more destinations: Malathiros, Fournés, Kato Galatas, Maza, Mathes, Gavalohori, Armeni, Kalamitsi Amygdali

For the main travel overview: Chania.