Chania (Venetian: La Canea), also spelled Hania, is a city in Greece and the capital of the Chania regional unit. Located on the northwestern coast of Crete, it lies about 70 km west of Rethymno and 145 km west of Heraklion. A city of many tales—ancient, old, and modern—Chania is Greek yet infused with the influence of many civilizations. It is one of the most beloved and internationally visited destinations in Greece, attracting visitors all year round who often return again and again to this enchanting city, blessed by nature and steeped in history.
As of March 1, 2026, our school in Chania is delighted to welcome students to a new location in the heart of the city — while continuing to offer the same high-quality Greek language courses that we have proudly provided for the past 25 years.
Our new address is:
32 Iroon Polytechniou Street, Chania
The building is ideally situated very close to the Municipal Market and just 200 meters from the historic buildings of the Central Court, placing us right in the vibrant cultural centre of the city.
Our new premises are housed within the Zachariou Foreign Languages Center, which has been operating successfully for 40 years.
The building itself is a listed neoclassical property, offering:
10 fully equipped classrooms
A charming small garden
A warm and inspiring educational atmosphere
This house is a two-storey detached house built in the second decade of the 20th century, designed by an Athenian engineer, and completed with later additions by the engineer Michalis Savvakis. It is located on today’s Iroon Polytechniou Street, which was formerly called Vasileos Georgiou Avenue and was a point of installation of neoclassical residences of wealthy families.
Initially, the building was constructed as the residence of Ioannis Anastasakis, director of the Greek Olive Oil Industry. It was later bought by the English merchant captain Saw, who settled there after his marriage to a woman from Chania.
The building has a plan in the shape of a closed “Γ”. On the elevated ground floor were the reception areas, while on the first floor were the private apartments. Its architecture It is characterized by strong foreign influences, as shown by the exterior coatings with decorative elements, the characteristic northern openings and the high parapet that hides the roof. The entrance of the building is decorated with a statue of a kouros. The kouros is a type of ancient Greek statue depicting a young man. These statues were created mainly during the Archaic period (7th–5th century BC) and stand out for their posture: They stand upright, with one leg slightly forward and hands at the side.
Kouroi symbolized beauty, strength and ideal youth and were often placed in sanctuaries or on tombs.
The building was renovated in 1993 by its last owner, Panagiotis Terpandrou Zachariou, a well-known teacher with a strong interest in the development of the Greek language, and has been used as a foreign language school with great success for 40 years offering:
• 10 fully equipped classrooms with air conditioning, floodlights, water cooler and comfortable seats
• a charming little garden
• a warm and inspiring educational atmosphere.
The centre was founded by P. Zachariou, a well-known educationalist with a deep interest in the evolution of the Greek language.
He is the author of three books related to the Greek language and an active poet. We are particularly proud of his recent speech delivered at the Chania Cultural Centre on February 9th, during the celebration of the International Day of the Greek Language — an event organized by the Chania Association for the Promotion of the Greek Language.
