Churches & monasteries

Arkadi Monastery

Rethymno, Rethymno · €

Directions

Highlights & amenities

Entry: €
Best time: Morning
Time needed: 1–1.5 hours
Good to know: Dress modestly

Good for

Family friendly

Facilities

About

Symbol 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.

Around Rethymno

Nearest town: Rethymno, about 19 km by road
Nearest airport: Chania airport (CHQ), about 65 km by road

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. More about Rethymno