By the Venetian period, the road connecting the port to the Piazza San Marco, where the Ducal Palace stands, was already the most important street of the city.On August 25, 1897, the road was completely destroyed by the Turks, and this destruction was also accompanied by the slaughter of some 500 Christians and 17 British soldiers. The name of the road commemorates the sad anniversary of this event.
In the early 20th century, after the liberation of Crete from the Turks, August 25th Street became the busiest, most vibrant street in Heraklion. New buildings were erected, housing a variety of services and other important functions for the city. They provided visitors coming from the port with an impressively majestic sight. This outer facade, however, did not reflect the reality hiding behind these buildings, and it was known as ‘Odos Planis’ (‘Deception Street’) by the residents of Heraklion.
