This Eastern Orthodox monastery is a monument to the indomitable Cretan spirit. During an uprising against Ottoman rule in 1866 the monastery became a stronghold for rebel forces. When the tide of the conflict turned against them, many Cretan soldiers took refuge at Arkadi, along with their families. On the point of defeat its defenders ignited a powder magazine; the huge explosion killed hundreds of attackers and Cretans alike. The gorgeous 16th-century Venetian church remains at what is an important, albeit melancholic, site.