An arrow points to the remains of a bullet from the 1886 revolt lodged in an ancient cyprus tree in the courtyard of the Arkadi Monastery, Crete.


An arrow points to the remains of a bullet from the 1886 revolt lodged in an ancient cyprus tree in the courtyard of the Arkadi Monastery, Crete. The bullet is from the intense battle that was fought by the Cretans against the Ottomans, who occupied the island. The battle culminated in the Turks over running the monastery through sheer weight of numbers and better supplies. 846 Greeks, mostly women and children who were sheltering in a cellar used for storing gunpowder, chose to blow themselves up rather than surrender. Many Turks were also killed in the explosion. This sacrifice is remembered as one of the most important events in the history of Crete.


Size: 4288px × 2848px
Location: Monastery of Arkadi, near Rythemnon, Crete.
Photo credit: © Brian Hartshorn / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

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