A fire that broke out after 9 on Sunday evening totally destroyed a historic building in Chania, that until recently was used to house the War Museum.
Th building was originally an army barracks built in 1870, a largely wooden construction designed by an Italian architect.
Firefighters managed to contain the fire while the electricity company cut off supplies to the surrounding area.
The building is owned and maintained by the Greek ministry of defence and the museum’s exhibits and archives were moved to Athens a couple of years ago. The building was left unattended and unguarded since it stopped being a museum. Reports in the local press refer to the unauthorised use of the building by groups of people, something that the fire investigators are going to look at.
Local groups and members of the public in Chania are shocked at the loss of the iconic landmark in the centre of Chania and already there are calls for its complete restoration by the town municipality.
