Crete, the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, is located about 100 km south of the Peloponnese. Crete was the center of Europe's first advanced civilization, the Minoans, from 3000 to 1400 BC. The Minoan civilization was overrun by the Mycenaean civilization from mainland Greece. Crete was later ruled by Rome, then successively by the Byzantine Empire, Andalusian Arabs, the Byzantine Empire again, the Venetian Republic, and the Ottoman Empire. In 1898 Crete, whose people had for some time wanted to join the Greek state, achieved independence from the Ottomans, formally becoming the Cretan State. Crete became part of Greece in December 1913.

Heraklion is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete. With a municipal population of about 180.000 it is the fourth largest city in Greece. The greater area of Heraklion has been continuously inhabited since at least 7000 BCE, making it one of the oldest inhabited regions in Europe. As a major center of the Minoan civilization it often considered Europe's oldest city.

The basilica of Saint Mark was built in 1239, after the Venetian conquest following the Fourth Crusade. The first church was severely damaged in the 1303 Crete earthquake, but it was later restored. A stronger still earthquake which hit the island in 1508 damaged Saint Mark anew. The rebulding was completed in 1557 but Saint Mark was once more partially ruined following earthquakes in 1564 and 1595. Renovation works on the church took place in 1599.

During the Cretan War (1645–1669), the bell tower of the basilica was used as an observatory, with its bells ringing every time the bombardment started. After the fall of the city the building was surrendered to Ahmet Pasha, who converted the Catholic church into a mosque. The Ottomans demolished the bell tower and in its place they erected a minaret.

After the Greco-Turkish population exchange in 1924 and the departure of the island's Muslim community, the former mosque came to the hands of the municipality of Heraklion. It was used at first as a cinema.The minaret was finally torn down in 1924. After an extensive restoration in th 1960s in meanwhile serves as a public art gallery.