From our Museum’s participation in the celebrations marking the 112th anniversary of the Union of Crete with the Motherland Greece!
Following the Thanksgiving Service at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Chania, the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, and the raising of the Greek Flag at the “Firka” Fortress, a guided tour of the Nautical Museum of Crete took place, along with the presentation of new exhibits, in the presence of the Representative of the Hellenic Government, Deputy Minister of Migration & Asylum, Mrs. Sevi Voloudaki.
Paddle Steamer Arkadi
The paddle steamer Arkadi was one of the most emblematic and symbolic naval vessels of the Cretan Revolution of 1866–1869. It was built in 1864 in Liverpool under the original name Dream, as a fast side-wheel steamer. Its construction — with a narrow hull, high speed and great manoeuvrability near the coast — made it ideal for missions aiming to bypass naval blockades. The Dream was purchased by the “Central Committee for Crete” and renamed Arkadi, in direct reference to the sacrifice of the monastery of the same name in Rethymno.
As an operational vessel, Arkadi belonged to the informal “small squadron” of Greek steamships — along with Enosis, Kriti and Panellinion — that carried out night missions transporting weapons, volunteers, provisions and ammunition to the southern and western coasts of Crete. Its speed allowed it to frequently break through the Ottoman blockade, rapidly unload supplies in inaccessible coves, and withdraw before Ottoman warships could intervene. In total, it completed 23 missions.
In August 1867, the Ottoman steamer İzzeddin spotted it off Cape Krio in Palaiochora, Chania, which led to a brief naval clash. During the engagement, Arkadi’s starboard paddle wheel was destroyed, and its captain grounded the ship on the coast and set it on fire to prevent its capture as a prize. The vessel was not completely destroyed; the Ottomans extinguished the flames, raised the ship and towed it to Constantinople. It was subsequently repaired and entered service with the Ottoman Navy, where it remained until 1896. In 1905 it was sold for scrapping. Although never formally commissioned into the Ottoman fleet, it was treated as a war prize.
In collective memory, Arkadi stands as a symbol of maritime self-sacrifice and technical daring. It reflects the effort of a small nation to harness the technological tools of the 19th century for a struggle that transcended the local scale and drew the attention of international public opinion.
Constructed and donated by: George Kapadoukakis
Destroyer Hydra D 97
The destroyer Hydra D 95 was the second of four destroyers ordered in 1929, together with Koundouriotis, Spetsai and Psara. They were constructed in Italy at the Cantieri Odero shipyards, with the aim of strengthening the Hellenic Navy following the First World War and the Asia Minor Campaign. The ship officially entered service with the Hellenic Navy on 1 October 1929. The design of the class combined high speed, good manoeuvrability and strong armament, representing a significant qualitative leap in Greek naval power at the time. Hydra participated in fleet exercises and operational patrols, contributing to the maintenance of Greece’s maritime presence in the Mediterranean.
With the outbreak of the Second World War, the ship took part in Greek naval operations against Italian and German forces. In April 1941, during the German advance, Hydra was involved in the Navy’s final efforts to uphold the country’s maritime defence. On 22 April 1941, while operating near the Lagousses islets, close to Aegina, it came under heavy attack by approximately 35 German Junkers Ju 87 (Stuka) aircraft. Despite the crew’s efforts to keep the vessel operational, the ship sustained critical damage and sank, resulting in the loss of its commanding officer and several members of its crew.
The sacrifice of Destroyer Hydra D 95 rendered it a symbol of Greece’s naval resistance during the 1941 invasion. Its name continues to hold special significance in Greek naval tradition, honouring both the historic island of Hydra and the men who served aboard the ship.
Constructed and donated by: Captain Stylianos Falieros HN (ret.)
Torpedo Boat Andromeda P 21
The torpedo boat Andromeda was one of six Norwegian-built “Nasty”-class motor torpedo boats acquired by the Hellenic Navy during the 1960s–1970s, marking the first order of warships for Greece since 1936. Andromeda was built in 1966 and was delivered to the Greek Navy on 21 November 1966. Initially, it bore the pennant number P 21, later changed to P 196 in 1982 as part of a reclassification of fast attack craft. Between 1984 and 1988 it was placed in reserve and underwent reconstruction at the Salamis Naval Base. Its gun and torpedo tubes were removed, and it was converted into a patrol vessel.
The acquisition of this type of craft — and consequently of Andromeda — marked a new era for the Hellenic Navy, signifying a transition from the post-war stagnation to a deliberate effort to modernise fleet capabilities, with emphasis on speed, flexible maritime control of sea borders and deterrence. In the geopolitical context of the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, such vessels provided Greece with fast, operationally valuable assets that were crucial for safeguarding sea lines of communication, national defence and the oversight of island territories.
Constructed by: Volunteer modelling team at the Workshop of the Maritime Museum of Crete
