Arkadi Monastery in Greece, Crete resort
Rating: 7,9/10 (1432 votes)  This monastery is located on Mount Ida, at a distance of 23 kilometers from the city of Rethymno and at a distance of 7 kilometers from the Cretan Sea. Arkadi became especially famous in 1866, after a tragic fire. This monastery was built in the late Venetian period. It very much resembles a fortress. The central entrance is crafted very skillfully, it was restored only two years after the explosion in 1866. Walking along the vaulted corridor you can get to the courtyard. In the center of this courtyard stands the cathedral itself, which is decorated with ships dedicated to Saints Helena and Constantine and the Almighty. The cathedral was built in 1587. In the southwestern part of the building there is a surviving fragment of the iconostasis, which burned down in a fire in 1866. The cathedral is surrounded by vaulted corridors with arches. Due to the Turkish invasion, the cultural significance of the monastery briefly diminished, but he soon restored it and even received the unique privilege of – permission to ring the bells. Arkadi was not only a cultural center. This monastery played an important role in the liberation of Crete from the Turks. In 1866, the Turkish army surrounded the monastery, where 900 people took refuge. The Turks took the fortress and began a bloody massacre there. Then one rebel, Kostis Yamburakis, set fire to the warehouses of gunpowder and blew up the monastery together with the entire Turkish army. It was this feat that turned Arkadi into a monument to Freedom. The museum at the monastery contains relics of those events and unique icons. This monastery is also depicted on the 100 drachma banknotes. Every year on the day of the explosion, November 9, solemn ceremonies are held here. There is a memorial at the entrance to the monastery. A short staircase leads to a tomb with busts of rebel leaders.     We also recommend reading Roman Amphitheater in Bulgaria, Plovdiv resort Topic: Arkadi Monastery in Greece, Crete resort. |
