The Museum of Arkadi Monastery

The monastery of Arkadi is an Eastern Orthodox monastery, situated on a fertile plateau 23 km to the southeast of Rethymnon and 500m high.

The monastery played an active role in the Cretan resistance of Ottoman rule during the Cretan revolt in 1866.

Today the monastery also houses a museum (in the southern wing) that has artefacts from the famous battle, church articles, and an absorbing picture gallery of the Cretans of that time.

Its collection consists of post-Byzantine icons, ecclesiastical vestments and implements, weapons, manuscripts, personal objects that belonged to the Abbot Gavriil and other religious and historic relics.

In a place of honour is the banner from the Arkadi holocaust, which depicts the Transfiguration of Christ . Another unique exhibit is the section of the carved altar screen of the church depicting the Resurrection, the only piece that survived the explosion and fire.