Επέτειος Αρκαδίου, Ταξιαρχών
Crete remembers the 1866 sacrifice at Arkadi monastery on the feast of the Archangels.
Arkadi monastery · Lakkoi · Aradena · Floria
Προσθήκη στο ημερολόγιοSymbol of Cretan resistance and the 1866 revolt against Ottoman rule.
Arkadi is the most famous monastery in Crete and a national symbol of freedom. It lies on a plateau about 23 km south-east of Rethymno, and its church, with a beautiful Venetian Renaissance facade, dates from the 16th century. The monastery was a centre of learning and art for centuries.
In November 1866, during the Cretan revolt against Ottoman rule, hundreds of rebels, women and children took refuge here. After a siege of two days by a much larger Ottoman army, the defenders set fire to the powder store rather than surrender, killing themselves and many of the attackers. The event shocked Europe and drew attention to the Cretan cause.
Today you can visit the church, the old powder room with its blown-off roof, the refectory with bullet marks, and a small museum. The ossuary near the entrance holds the remains of the defenders. It is a peaceful and moving place, easy to combine with ancient Eleftherna and the pottery village of Margarites.
Rethymno sits between the mountains and two seas, and it is the easiest region to combine with the rest of the island. Its old town and Fortezza are among the best preserved on Crete, with Venetian doorways, Ottoman wooden balconies and a long sandy beach right next to the centre. Περισσότερα για Ρέθυμνο
About 30 minutes south-east of Rethymno by car; free parking.
35.31100, 24.62900 · Στον χάρτη
Crete remembers the 1866 sacrifice at Arkadi monastery on the feast of the Archangels.
Arkadi monastery · Lakkoi · Aradena · Floria
Προσθήκη στο ημερολόγιοThe finds of Eleftherna, beautifully shown.
Μουσεία · Ρέθυμνο
A village next to a Homeric city.
Χωριά & Πόλεις · Ρέθυμνο
A Homeric city on a narrow ridge.
Αρχαιολογικοί χώροι · Ρέθυμνο
The pottery village of Crete.
Χωριά & Πόλεις · Ρέθυμνο
A long gorge near Rethymno.
Φαράγγια · Ρέθυμνο
A monastery near Stavromenos.
Εκκλησίες & μοναστήρια · Ρέθυμνο
Getting there & around