- The Heraklion Venetian Port is falling apart—cracks, collapses, and sinkholes threaten its structure.
- Recent earthquakes worsened pre-existing damage and exposed years of neglect.
- Safety concerns arise for fishermen and tourists alike, with damaged mooring spots and loose stones.
- The government’s response is slow, with calls for immediate ministry action often met with bureaucratic shrugs.
- Officials admit the port’s future now hangs on red tape, not stonework.
- Read the original NeaKriti coverage here: NeaKriti.gr
Once, the Heraklion Venetian Port was the kind of relic locals would show off to visiting family. Today, its cracks and cave-ins seem more suited for a disaster tourism brochure. For years, the port’s famous stonework has been chipping away. The latest earthquake intensified the damage no government official ever wanted to address.
The grim reality currently on display includes:
- Cracks and fissures running along mooring spots, some wide enough to swallow a bad day’s catch.
- Visible sinkholes beneath the stone surface.
- The collapse of masonry into the sea, conveniently positioned where small fishing boats would otherwise tie up.
Fishermen, far from impressed, now view every shift of the ground as potential for an unplanned swim. “If I step on that hollow stone, I’ll end up in the water. Either I’ll die or the stone will crush me and I’ll drown,” warns Giannis Androulakis, head of the Heraklion Professional Fishermen’s Association.
Counting Cracks While Waiting for Permission
The port’s history officially transitioned from ‘ageing beauty’ to ‘open hazard’ around 2020, when the first signs of trouble prompted someone to put out a few cones and call it a day. By 2025, the number of cones has multiplied, but so have the risks. The earthquake in June further exacerbated the damage: large sections have collapsed, even as authorities struggle with paperwork and heritage restrictions.
Recent site reports by NeaKriti documented:
- Over 20 distinct crack formations along the quay.
- Multiple areas where stones have sunk or pulled away.
- Sections are cordoned off, but that tape doesn’t stop further damage.
The president of the Heraklion Port Fund, Giannis Vardavas, doesn’t sugarcoat reality. “The situation has deteriorated significantly. The cracks have widened, and there are visible sinkholes underneath. The Venetian Port now faces a serious problem,” Vardavas told NeaKriti. He added, “If it remains unsupported, I believe additional parts will collapse. It’s very likely we’ll see more sinkholes and cracks.”
For extra peace of mind, heritage officials maintain their signature hands-off approach. “To touch a single stone, the Ministry of Culture tells you, ‘Hey, don’t touch.’ Should we let it fall instead? They’ll have to answer that,” Vardavas adds. The main act is less restoration and more waiting for a signature.
Meanwhile, Giannis Androulakis isn’t impressed with historic preservation by neglect: “There were already small cracks, which shows the area hasn’t been maintained. That’s the Ministry of Culture’s responsibility. No proper maintenance was done, so with the recent earthquake stones even fell into the sea, right in front of the boats.”
- The first warning signs appeared in 2020;
- Number of areas with visible damage: 20+;
- Earthquake impact: worsened cracks, increased risk of collapse;
- Sections closed off since 2020, with signage and cones;
- Fishermen affected: dozens unable to safely moor vessels;
- Tourist season impact: port access is limited, rising risk to visitors and boats.
The local parliamentarian, Konstantinos Kefalogiannis, has come out swinging with a request for urgent repairs. He also suggests government ministries investigate if the recent deepening works contributed to the current damage. Whether this will inspire action is anyone’s guess—bureaucracy, after all, works on a different geologic timescale.
Safety Last, Heritage at Hazard
Travellers with a taste for history—or for living dangerously—should look before they leap at the Heraklion Venetian Port. The city’s emblem, once a source of pride, now teeters on the edge, clinging to whatever stones the ministries have left to their fate. Local voices, weary of caution tape and empty promises, await meaningful repairs while cracks widen by the day.
The modern Greek legacy is one of perfectly preserved paperwork and slightly less preserved everything else. If this stonework drama isn’t resolved, Heraklion might have to rebrand its Venetian Port as the world’s largest interactive history exhibit—where visitors can witness a cultural treasure vanishing in real-time.
