PICT0174
Arkadi is something of a national shrine. During the 1866 rebellion, the monastery served as a Cretan stronghold in which hundreds of Cretan guerrilla fighters and their families took refuge as the Turks advanced and had the upper hand in the proceedings, it was here that they were surrounded by the Turkish army that lay siege for two days, finally the defenses were breached on November 9th, 1866.
As the attackers poured in, the ammunition stores in the monastery were exploded deliberately on the orders of the Abbot. Hundreds were killed in the internal blast, Cretans and Turks alike, this enraged the assailants that they put most of the surviving defenders to death. There are celebrations annually on the anniversary of the 7-9 November blast.
PICT0174
Arkadi is something of a national shrine. During the 1866 rebellion, the monastery served as a Cretan stronghold in which hundreds of Cretan guerrilla fighters and their families took refuge as the Turks advanced and had the upper hand in the proceedings, it was here that they were surrounded by the Turkish army that lay siege for two days, finally the defenses were breached on November 9th, 1866.
As the attackers poured in, the ammunition stores in the monastery were exploded deliberately on the orders of the Abbot. Hundreds were killed in the internal blast, Cretans and Turks alike, this enraged the assailants that they put most of the surviving defenders to death. There are celebrations annually on the anniversary of the 7-9 November blast.