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Church · Heraclião, Creta
Igreja de Agios Titos e Loggia veneziana
The church of São Tito, the first bishop of Crete, rebuilt in 1869 as a mosque and returned to Orthodox worship in 1925, where the saint’s skull is kept; next to it, the Loggia veneziana.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Igreja de Agios Titos e Loggia veneziana
Agios Titos is dedicated to Titus, a disciple of Saint Paul and the first bishop of Crete. A church has stood on this site since the Byzantine period; the Venetian basilica, inaugurated in 1446 and rebuilt after an earthquake and a fire, became a mosque when the Ottomans took the city in 1669. The earthquake of 1856 toppled the building, and the present one was erected in 1869 as the New Mosque (Yeni Cami), with a dome and Ottoman plan.
In 1925, after the population exchange between Greece and Turkey, the building was returned to the Orthodox Church, the minaret was demolished and the church regained the name Agios Titos. In 1966, Venice returned the relic it had taken in 1669: the skull of São Tito, kept in a side chapel in a silver and gold reliquary.
The church sits in a small square with cafés, on rua 25 de Agosto, the pedestrian street that links the port to praça dos Leões. The Loggia veneziana, built between 1626 and 1628, is just above, on the corner of praça dos Leões: a two‑storey Renaissance‑style building with arcades, now the town hall. You can walk under the arcades and see the inner courtyard.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
15 to 30 minutes.
Best time
In the morning or late afternoon, outside mass times, to see the interior calmly. The square in front is a good place for a coffee.
How to get there
On rua 25 de Agosto, between the old port and praça dos Leões, about a 5‑minute walk from each. The Loggia is on the corner of praça dos Leões.
Tip
The saint’s relic is in a chapel to the left of the entrance. To enter, shoulders and knees must be covered. rua 25 de Agosto has restored neoclassical façades: go up slowly.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Igreja de Agios Titos e Loggia veneziana
Why does the church of Agios Titos look like a mosque?
Because the current building was constructed in 1869 as a mosque during the Ottoman period. In 1925 it returned to being an Orthodox church and the minaret was demolished.
What relic is kept in Agios Titos?
The skull of Saint Titus, the first bishop of Crete, taken to Venice in 1669 and returned in 1966. It is housed in a side chapel in a metal reliquary.
Can you enter the Venetian Loggia?
It is the town hall, so access is limited, but you can walk through the arcades and see the courtyard. The façade is the main feature.