Photographs of nature, places and objects that have caught my eye.

Φωτογραφίες απο την φύση, απο τόπους και αντικείμενα που μου χτύπησαν στο μάτι.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Chania Town. Agora. Η Αγορά των Χανίων.

It was built approximately the time Crete was united with mainland Greece. It is cross shaped and positioned at approximately the area where the old town ends and the new begins. One beam of the cross houses the meat and fish merchants, the other grocers and green grocers. The farmers and stock breeders used to bring their products every morning and the inhabitants of the town used to pass every morning and buy their daily needs from there.
At least till approximately 30 years ago. Now there are many shops in the arcades orientated for the tourists, there are a couple of cafes and restaurants, but there are still many shops where one can find a variety of local products. And the whole place is full of perfumes of the mountain herbs. That is the famous Agora (market) of Chania.

Χτίστηκε στις αρχές του περασμένου αιώνα, την ίδια εποχή που η Κρήτη ενώθηκε με την Ελλάδα. Έχει σταυροειδές σχήμα. και βρίσκεται περίπου στα όρια της παλιάς με την νέα πόλη. Παλιότερα ήταν υποχρέωση κάθε καλού νυκοκοίρη να περνά κάθε πρωί από την αγορά, να κάνει τα ψώνια του πριν πάει στη δουλειά του και να τα στέλνει στο σπίτι. Την εποχή που πήγαινα στο Γυμνάσιο, που βρίσκεται δίπλα στην αγορά, ο θυμούμαι τον αξέχαστο Γυμνασιάρχη μας τον κ. Μαρουλάκη, να ψωνίζει στην αγορά πριν αρχίσει το μάθημα, να δίνει την τσάντα με τα ψώνια στον Μαθιό, έναν από τους αμαξάδες που πάρκαραν στην πλατειούλα ανάμεσα στην αγορά και το σχολείο για να τά πάει στο σπίτι του. Στις μέρες μας, εξακολουθεί να έχει αρκετά μαγαζιά με σημαντικά τοπικά προιόντα, αλλά και άλλα, με τουριστικό ενδιαφέρον.





















21 comments:

D.Angel said...

Καλημέρα!
Αχχχ... ως εδώ έφτασαν
τα χρώματα κ τ αρώματα!
Φιλιά πολλά

SquirrelQueen said...

This looks like a wonderful place to shop. The cheese and olives really caught my attention.

Anonymous said...

What a place, Costas, I could spend many hours and money there... and take a break sitting in the café and just watching all around me ;-)

Gunn said...

"Kalimera" from the north!
I have been there, and it was very nice and interesting!
You brought back some memories from a beautiful island! (One of many islands.)
I have a friend who have created http://www.islandstrolling.com
Do take a look!:)

Anonymous said...

Nothing better than a beautiful market to shop in! Wonderfully captured here :-)

Kimberly said...

Costas, these are lovely photos of the marketplace. Nice history of the island too. One day, I'll return!

Anonymous said...

Θα ήθελα ένα κιλό κεφαλοτύρι, πέντε ψάρια της προτίμησης σου, καμιά τοματούλα κανένα αγγουράκι και λίγο λαδάκι Κρητικό κι είμαι κομπλέ!

φιλιά πολλά

ΓΙΑΝΝΑ said...

Αγαπω πολυ αυτη την πολη.Ειναι τα Χανια της ιστοριας,των θαλασσινων ταξιδιων,της περηφανιας και της γνησιοτητας.
Η αγορα ειναι αγαπημενο μου μερος και οταν κατεβαινω στην Κρητη πηγαινω παντα για ψωνια και γευσεις μοναδικες.
Οι φωτογραφιες σου Κωστη ειναι τελειες και μου αρεσει που δηλωνεις ερασιτεχνης.Να εισαι καλα.

Diane AZ said...

That market looks huge and beautiful! Thank you so much for the tour, I can almost smell the perfumes of the mountain herbs. :)

Clytie said...

I'm a little surprised that there are so few shoppers there! If I could, I would spend hours and hours in this amazing market full of wonderful things! The colors alone captivate me. I only wish I could imagine the beautiful scents in the air ...

Allison said...

A bit of the real world still intact! It's too bad the world farther west is so populated by supermarkets. I would love doing my marketing here!

Thalassenia said...

Νομίζω είναι αντίγραφο μίας αγοράς του Παρισιού.
Ακόμα θυμάμαι τις μυρωδιές από τα τυροκομικά και τα άλλα αφού ο χώρος είναι κλειστός.
Λίγο άδεια την βλέπω αλλά πάντα όμορφη και γραφική.

Ωραίες εικόνες και αναμνήσεις από Κρήτη μας δίνεις.
Να είσαι καλά.

Sylvia K said...

What a fantastic Agora, Costas! And you photos are marvelous as always! So colorful and such a variety of shops/stores! I would love to spend a morning there shopping! Such a great post as always! Hope your week is going well! Enjoy!

Sylvia

balamgo said...

Fascinante mercado.
Unas fotografía magníficas.
Saludos.

Mette Larsens fotografier said...

Looks great to shop there with so much different things they have to offer! Lovely pictures

Unknown said...

Thank you all my friends for your nice comments.
One thing i want to mention.
The time I was shooting these photographs.. was very early in the morning and many of the shops were not opened yet.
It usually gets crowded around noon.
I did not want a lot of people in front of my lens so that i d be able to have clean shots at the shops.
Have a great day all of you.
Costas

Teté M. Jorge said...

As fotos ficaram tão vivas, que me senti nesse lugar aí...

Beijos.

penny said...

Its a beautiful market with long history and a lot of wonderful thing to buy.
Your photos are marvelous, Costas.

joanna said...

Costas

It is a beautiful market place filled with many splendid food items. I was thinking that you must have gone before the crowds arrived in order to get the best photos,, it makes perfect sense.

Joan

tapirgal said...

It's a lovely old market. It would be so wonderful if every town had one.

Μαίρη (Ginger) said...

Λατρευω την πολυχρωμια στις αγορες.... βρίσκω ομως την αγορα των Χανίων υπερβολικα τακτοποιημενη. Καλο Κυριακοβραδο να εχεις