Rhodes Town

Rhodes town is divided into two parts: the city of the knights, or the old part of town, and the new town built beyond the medieval ramparts.

1) During the era of the knights Departure: the Pyli Agias Aikaterinis - Arrival: Palace of the Grand Masters

 

After the Byzantine era up until 1309, the island was conquered by the hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem. The order was founded in the 11th century and took part in its first crusade before seeking refuge in Cyprus following the fall of Jerusalem in 1291. They bought the island of Rhodes from a Genoan pirate a few years later. The knights can be credited with the fortification of Rhodes and the construction of the Palace of the Grand Masters, which is considered a remarkable achievement of medieval military architecture!

 

Check out the medieval fountain in the Ippokratous central square before going to the street of the knights (Odos Ippoton). You will come across the seven gothic inns of the order of St. John built in the 14th century. The town was actually governed by a representative elected to manage the seven 'nationalities' dividing up the island: France, Italy, England, Germany, Provence, Spain and Auvergne. Each nationality can be recognised by the badge affixed to the front of the building.

 

At the end of the street, you will find the Palace of the Grand Masters, where you can start your visits of the ramparts. Watch out, though, as only a few meters are open to the public from the Gate of Amboise to the Gate of Koskinou. Even so, it will be ample for you to take some excellent shots of the old part of town and its easily distinguishable districts. The imposing wall was built on top of the ancient ruins of Rhodes by the Knights for the purpose of reinforcing the island's defences against any invasions by the Turks.

 

First of all, we would advise you to visit the fort. Make sure that you do not miss out on the Medusa hall, the central court and the Hellenistic mosaics in the hall of the nine muses. Two exhibitions are on show within the walls of the palace: the first is devoted to Antique Rhodes, which brings together an impressive collection from various archaeological digs, and the second focuses on Medieval Rhodes, taking you back to what everyday life was like during the Middle Ages.

 

You can finish off this itinerary in and around Epicharmou street, which is a charming mixture of medieval alleys and Byzantine architecture. If you still have not had your fill, stop off at Our Lady of the Victory and stroll around the streets with their flying-buttresses. You are likely to come across the other leftovers from the Middle Ages scattered around here and there, such as the medieval fountain.

2) Turkish Walk Departure: Murad Reis - Arrival: Ibrahim Pacha

 

Our second walks focuses on the Ottoman architecture. There are 14 mosques on Rhodes, including the mosque of Soliman the Magnificent, which was built in 1523 to mark the Sultan's victory over the island. This particular mosque is unfortunately not open to the public, because it has been undergoing restoration work over the past few years.

 

We would advise you to set out from the Murad Reis mosque in the new part of town. It can easily be spotted by its minaret and even has a Turkish cemetery, which is where Mourad-Reis was buried, the commanding pirate of Soliman's fleet. Then take in the Mustafa, Rejep Pacha and Ibrahim Pacha mosques, which were built in 1531 and the interior of which is simply amazing!

 

End your walk at the Byzantine museum built within a church during the 11th century, which became the cathedral of the knights before it was subsequently used as a mosque. It houses an excellent collection of icons and frescos.

3) The new part of town (nea chora)

The new part of town does not really hold a lot of tourist attractions. We would suggest that you do a bit of shopping at the market (nea agora), whilst taking in the locals' daily way of life, and setting out for the port of Mandraki, which is were the famous Colossus is supposed to have been built. The 32-meter high bronze statue was created in 305 BC according to the plans of Chares of Lindos to mark the victory of Rhodes' inhabitants over the King of Macedonia, Demetrios Poliorcete. The Colossus took 12 years to build, but was destroyed by an earthquake and the rubble was sold a few centuries later to a Jewish merchant from Ephesus. The Colossus is traditionally represented as standing across the port of Mandraki, but it appears that the statue was actually built at the current site of the Palace of the Grand Masters.

 

The doe, the symbol of Rhodes town, and the stag both guard the entrance to the port when the Colossus was allegedly built. At the end of the pier, the St Nicholas fort defended the town against the initial assaults and now serves as a lighthouse.

 

The pleasure port of Mandraki stands at the junction between the old and new parts of town and was formerly used by the knights to moor their galleys. You can set out from this port on an excursion to one of the neighbouring islands or even Turkey.

 

The market is extremely lively and gives an interesting glimpse into Rhodian culture. It is also the ideal opportunity to try out a few specialities and stock up on some fruit for your journey!

 

The three windmills at Mandraki were formerly used to grind the grain for the ships' cargoes. The sails still turn with the wind today, but otherwise they are no longer used.

4) Other interesting sights

The Hellenistic City

To get to Mount Smith, hire out a bike in Rhodes town or take the bus. That way, you will be able to travel the 3 km to Rodini park, which used to be the site of the School of Rhetoric.
The Hellenistic city comprises the ruins of the Apollo temple, destroyed by an earthquake, the stadium and the theatre, the last two of which have both been restored. Rodini park with all its cypress trees and plane trees will let you take shelter from the sun. A Doric necropolis is only a few meters away.

The Jewish district

Even if you have not got much time, it would be a shame to miss the former Jewish district. Head along Aristotelous street and then go to the Martyrs square, which owes its name to the deportation of Jewish residents during the Second World War. One street further on and you will come across the synagogue. The Jewish district does not have a lot of tourist attractions, but it is an extremely peaceful area for a pleasant stroll.