The Historic Monastery Of Arkadi, In Rethymno, Crete, Greece. Stock Image

This is the historic Arkadi Monastery (or Moni Arkadiou, in Greek), in southern Rethymno region, Crete island, Greece. It was originally built in the 6th century by the Byzantines and has long time been a place of faith and devotion for Greek Orthodoxs. In 1866, while Crete was immersed in revolution against the turk occupation, people from all over the region found shelter and protection within the walls of Arkadi. However, the turk army came in front of the walls and began the siege. The defenders of the Arkadi, after some days of resistence, decided to blow up the part of the monastery where they were hiding, in order to avoid captivity. Their sacrifice is considered one of the brightest chapters in Greek history against foreign occupation.