CANDIA, the largest city of Crete (to which it has given its name), is situated on the northern shore in 20' N. lat. and 25° 9' E. long. It is still surrounded by its extensive Venetian forti fications. The principal buildings are the Venetian loggia muti lated recently, the Prefecture, 14 mosques, the modern cathedral, two Greek churches, the Armenian church, the Capuchin monas tery, the bazaars, the baths and some beautiful Venetian foun tains. The town is the seat of a Greek archbishop. The highly interesting museum contains antiquities found during recent exca vations. The chief trade is in oil and soap. The coasting trade is of considerable importance. Leather for home consumption is made and good wine is produced in the neighbourhood. The harbour is formed for the most part by the ancient moles, and was never deep enough to admit the larger vessels even of the Venetians, which were accustomed to anchor off the neighbouring island of Standia. The site of Candia, or, as it was till lately locally known, Megalocastro ("the great fortress"), has been supposed to correspond with that of the ancient Heracleion, the seaport of Cnossus, and this name is now officially revived. The ruins of Cnossus are about 3 m. to the south-east. Founded by the Saracens in the 9th century, Candia was fortified by the Genoese in the 12th, and was greatly extended and strengthened by the Venetians in the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. It was besieged by the Turks under the vizier Achmet in 1667 ; and, in spite of a most heroic defence, in which the Venetians lost 30,000 in killed and wounded, it was forced to surrender in 1669. (See also CRETE.)