Arkadi Monastery

Established by the monk Arkadios, it is situated on a small, fertile, and lush plateau strategically positioned on the north-western slope of Mt Ida. It overlooks a gorge that links the provinces of Rethymno, Mylopotamos, and Amari.

It is situated 23 kilometres away from the city of Rethymno, and it took on its first complete fortress structure during the concluding era of Venetian rule.

During the Turkish occupation the monastery was also called Çanli Manastir.

Arkadi stands as the most historic monastery in Crete, destined to become the holiest symbol of the Cretan struggle for freedom. This significance is rooted in the tragic Holocaust of 1866, which unfolded on its grounds. The pivotal event involved the detonation of the wine warehouse where the revolutionaries stored gunpowder.

This paved the way for the island's liberation in 1898, and UNESCO has officially designated Arkadi Monastery as a European Monument of Freedom.

photos 1-5: incrediblecrete.gr