Listed 9 sub titles with search on: Sights for wider area of: "ARKADI Municipality RETHYMNO" .
AMNATOS (Village) ARKADI
Among the many Venetian buildings in the village of Amnatos, which lies 18 km from Rethymno, is a house with a particularly impressive doorframe. The crown of the gable shows the inscription: INITIUM SAPIENTE TIMOR DOMINI (=Beginning of Wisdom Fear of the Lord)
In the centre of the village of Amnatos there is the remains of the
Venetian treasury of 16th century, a large decorated portal.
ELEFTHERNA (Ancient city) ARKADI
It is situated in the archaeological area of Ancient Eleftherna, at the place of Katsivelos. This three-aisled basilica with rich mosaic ornaments dates back to either the 6th or the 7th century.
MONI ARKADIOU (Monastery) RETHYMNO
Tel: +30 28310 83136
Fax: +30 28310 83137
The Monastery of Arkadi
is located at an altitude of almost 500 m., in the north-western foothills of Psiloritis mountain, approximately 23 km to the southeast of Rethymnon. Though the old historical tradition related the foundation of the monastery with the Byzantine emperor Arkadios (5th century AD), the scientific research has established that both the foundation and the name of the monastery should be ascribed to a certain monk named Arkadios. According to an inscription found in situ the main temple - the Katholikon - was built in 1587 substituting an earlier church. The current monument bears every mark of the Renaissance architecture, a consequence of the Venetian rule on the island. Apart from the Katholikon, which stands at the centre, the monastery complex includes the monk cells and ancillary buildings, clustered around a
central court yard.
This was an extremely wealthy monastery, an important center of copying Greek manuscripts and a workshop of church embroideries.
In 1866 broke out one of the major revolts in Cretan history against the Ottoman occupation. 943 Greeks, the majority of which were women and children, sought refuge in the monastery which was besieged by the Turks. On 8 November 1866, when after three days of battle surrender was unavoidable, Kostis Yamboudakes caused an explosion at the powder magazine of the monastery, and all mutineers and civilians who had been kept there were buried inside, along with the besiegers. Thus the monastery of Arkadi became an eternal symbol for freedom and the 8th of November henceforth the day of commemorating the Cretan resistance.
A valuable collection of ecclesiastical and historical relics are on exhibition today in the Monastery Museum. In their majority they are dated before the destruction of 1866. Among them are portable Post-Byzantine icons, manuscripts and ecclesiastical vestments, as well as weapons and the banner of the revolutionary period.
PRINOS (Village) ARKADI
The Byzantine church of the Panagia in Drakonero is here. The church
has cruciform architecture with a dome in the middle. Externally the church has
very unusual and ornate decorations around its door, unique on Crete. A tomb inside
the church is supported with lion heads, flowers and angels. A coat of arms, probably
of the Zangaroli family, is on the upper part of the tomb. In the church there
are some well-preserved frescoes of very good quality. The church of the Panagia
is on the side of the ravine and it is not visible from the road.
This extract is cited Nov 2002 from the Crete TOURnet URL below, which contains images.
SKOULOUFIA (Village) ARKADI
The roof of the church of the Panagia has fallen in, but it has admirable
reliefs on its doors and windows. The church is in the school yard.
The church of Agia Paraskevi is visible on the left hand side, below
the road as you leave the village towards Erfi. The church has collapsed.
VIRANEPISKOPI (Settlement) ARKADI
The church of Agios Dimitrios, is a four-aisled basilica which seems
to have been the bishopric of Ario for a certain period of time. One aisle remains
and it has a dome. The aisles were separated with arches and columns. Externally
there are blind arches decorated with bricks and the door has an interesting toothed
arch above it. Agios Dimitrios has been built on the foundations of an ancient
temple of Artemis.
This extract is cited Nov 2002 from the Crete TOURnet URL below, which contains images.
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