A visit to Arkadi Monastery, in Rethymno, is a must destination that nobody should miss during a trip to Crete Island. A gorgeous spot but then so profoundly set apart with the Cretan battle for independence. Arkadi Monastery is a useful place to understand the history and tradition of Crete. Arkadi is certainly the most historic monastery in the Crete island and UNESCO has designated it as a European Monument of Freedom. It is the holiest symbol of the Cretan fight for Freedom against the Turkish occupation, and the place where the tragic holocaust of 1866 took place with the explosion of the powder arsenal. This led to the liberation of Crete in 1898. In 1866, after its destruction, the Monastery was completely rebuilt and restored to its previous form. The Arkadi Monastery is situated in the north-western region of Psiloritis mountain, roughly 23 km from the city of Rethymnon. Tradition relates the Arkadi with the Byzantine king Arkadios (fifth century AD), the scientific research has demonstrated that both the establishment and the name of the religious community ought to be credited to a specific priest named Arkadios. As per an engraving found in situ the primary sanctuary – the Katholikon – was established in 1587 on the ruins of a previous church. Arkadi Monastery History This monastery community had a significant influence on Cretan history during the struggle against Turkish mastery of the island. In 1866, the religious community came to the notification of the Turkish Pasha as many renegades were shielding there and in the harsh crevasses and slopes close by. Subsequently, the religious community turned into a symbol of the uprising and a place of refuge for Cretans escaping the Turks.
A visit to Arkadi Monastery, in Rethymno, is a must destination that nobody should miss during a trip to Crete Island. A gorgeous spot but then so profoundly set apart with the Cretan battle for independence. Arkadi Monastery is a useful place to understand the history and tradition of Crete.
