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Monastery of Arkádhi © Lesley Beever
Monastery of Arkádhi
Situated about 14 miles (23km) south of Rethymnon, the Monastery
of Arkádhi is something of a national Cretan shrine. During
the 1866 rebellion against the Turks the monastery became a refuge
for Cretan insurgents and their families. They were surrounded by
the Turks and after two days of fighting, ignited the gunpowder
storeroom, which killed hundreds of both Turks and Cretans. The
tragedy brought international recognition to the cause for Cretan
independence. An ossuary displays the skulls of many of the victims
and it is possible to see the roofless room where the explosion
took place, as well as the surviving 16th-century church that is
one of the loveliest Venetian buildings on the island. There is
also a small museum.
Address: 14 miles (23km) south of Rethymnon
Transport: The monastery is easy to reach by public bus
Opening time: Daily 8am to 1.30pm, and 3.30pm to 8pm
Admission: 1.45 (museum)