Arkadi

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The Monastery of Arkadi is a historic monastery in Crete. Founded on the Byzantine Emperor of Arcadia, at a strategic position, connecting the provinces of Rethymnon Mylopotamos and Amari. It is 23 km from Rethymno and the first complete fortress was erected in the last period of Venetian rule.

The main temple is dedicated to Saints Constantine and Helena and has two aisles. After the destruction, in 1866, was completely rebuilt and restored to its former state. Only one misokameno screen to the left of the altar and a cannon ball wedged in the centuries-old cypress trees to the right church testify Joined blood poured 140 years ago....

According to an inscription preserved at the base of the bell tower in front of the temple was built in 1587.

History of Monastery

Cretan rebels had begun to gather at Arkadi on March 3, 1866 to arrive in November to number them 259 warriors and 705 women. On September 24 had arrived Colonel HS P. Koroneos with few volunteers and was named team captain. The Koroneos found that the site was not suitable for defense, but the abbot of the monastery Gabriel did not want to leave. So went to defensive preparations, installed as the Lieutenant castellan Dimakopoulos and I went to the provinces to recruit fighters.

The Turkish army, composed by 6,000 pedestrians, 200 equestrians, 1,200 Albanians and supported thirty cannons, under Mustafa Naili campaigned against the monastery. At the same time asked the abbot Gabriel delivered. The answer was negative.

The attack began on November 8. In battles distinguished: Dimakopoulos, Spyros Olympian, Cuba, Denianakis, Galinakis. But the second day the outer line of defense disintegrates killed Abbot Gabriel and the Turks enter the precincts of the monastery. Exhausted and satisfied with the capture and all the attendant, Constantine Giamboudaki the village of Adele, Rethymnon closed along with other combatants, women and children in the powder keg. The firing of the barrels with gunpowder caused the destruction of the monastery and the death of many Greek and Turkish invaders. The bang was heard to say that the city of Heraklion. After the explosion of gunpowder, I. Dimakopoulos continued to battle against the Turk-Albanians in the courtyard of the monastery. He decided on November 9 to be

 Sources

  • Nic. V. Tomadakis, «The Commandant of Arkadiou John Dimakopoulos». Speech at the unveiling of plaque at City Hall in memory of John Tripoli Dimakopoulos, 15/11/1970. Published in the Journal of the Society of Peloponnesian Peloponnesian Studies, Vol. 8, 1971.