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| Picture by Kolohe |
Historically, the island of Rhodes, Greece, sat on a major Mediterranean trade route, so it has a rich history shaped by Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, the Knights of St. John (Knights Hospitaller), the Ottoman Empire, and Italians.
Ancient Rhodes City was founded in 408 BC, when smaller communities on the island came together and formed a new capital city that was carefully planned and strategically positioned around several harbors. The new city of Rhodes developed into one of the most prosperous maritime and commercial centers of the ancient Mediterranean.
In 1306, the Knights of St. John began their conquest of Rhodes and completed it on August 15, 1310. After their conquest, the Knights established Rhodes as their headquarters and transformed the city into the heavily fortified stronghold that survives today. The City of Rhodes is one of the world's best-preserved and most important medieval fortified cities.
Our ship docked in Kolona Harbor at historic Medieval Rhodes Old Town, now part of modern Rhodes City. From the ship's balcony, we had good views of St. Paul's Tower and part of the harbor fortifications built by the Knights of St. John.
We met our guide Nicholas Axarlis (n-r-tours@rhodes.cosmotemail.gr) at the dock, and he said he had planned our one-day stay in Rhodes around the schedule we sent him. We liked him from the start, and he turned out to be a great guide. He was born and raised on Rhodes and knew the island's places and history well.
Our first stop was just a short distance away at Mandraki Harbor, easily recognized by a tall column topped with a bronze deer statue on both sides of the harbor entrance. The harbor entrance is also linked to the Colossus of Rhodes, the gigantic statue of Helios created in the early third century BC and remembered as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Modern illustrations (and some movies) show the Colossus standing astride the harbor entrance, with ships passing between its legs. However, no documented evidence supports this, and the statue's exact location remains unknown.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Under Italian rule, Catholics built the Church of the Annunciation to commemorate the biblical event in which the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and announced that she would conceive and give birth to Jesus Christ. After the Dodecanese became part of Greece, the building became a Greek Orthodox Church. The church sits on the shore of Mandraki Harbor along with a bell tower and an ornamental fountain.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Continuing north from Mandraki Harbor, we passed the National Theatre of Rhodes, a modernist building constructed in 1936 to host both theatrical and opera performances.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Near the island's northern tip is Platia Enidriou (Aquarium Square), home to the Hydrobiological Station of Rhodes (Aquarium) and a modern artwork known as "Vision."
The same architect designed the aquarium around the same time as the National Theatre of Rhodes. The aquarium was not open the day we visited, but the interior was reportedly designed to create the impression of moving through an underwater sea cave.
A modern, large abstract metal sculpture called Orama ("Vision") stands in a park in front of the aquarium. The eye-shaped pupil at the top of the human-like silhouette suggests sight, perception, awareness, or looking toward the future.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Prasonisi Beach at the south end of the island is known as where the Aegean and Mediterranean seas meet, but Nicholas pointed out that from Aquarium Beach, you can also see the dividing line. On one side of the dividing line, the water is often calm, while on the other, it is wavy. I think I could see the dividing line, but I don't have the best eyesight.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
While we were driving along a cliff road overlooking the sea, two feral goats stood right beside the road. Nicholas said there were many feral goats in this area, and it wasn't unusual to see them close to the road.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
The ancient Acropolis of Rhodes lies on the elevated area known as Monte Smith. Unlike the Acropolis of Athens, it was not a fortified citadel. Instead, it contained temples and public buildings.
Restoration work on the Temple of Apollo Pythios is in progress, and several columns have been reconstructed. Heavy foliage made many of the ruins hard to see, but the Odeon (theater) was visible through the trees.
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| Artist Unknown - Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Lindos City is about 30 miles south of Rhodes, and along the way Nicholas told us an interesting story connected to Mount Tsambika. According to tradition, a shepherd saw a mysterious light on the mountainside, and when he went to investigate, he discovered a small icon of the Virgin Mary in a cypress tree. He took the icon to Kykkos Monastery in Cyprus, but it miraculously returned to the mountain in Rhodes. This happened several times. Eventually, the Rhodians interpreted its return as a sign that the Virgin Mary wanted the icon to remain on the mountain, so they built a chapel there in her honor. Over the years, women unable to conceive made the difficult trip to the monastery to pray for children. Some women made the journey barefoot. Children born through her intercession were often named Tsambikos (boy) or Tsambika (girl); as a result, many children on Rhodes have those names.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Lindos is a picturesque historic village known for its maze of tightly packed whitewashed houses, narrow pedestrian walkways, and interior courtyards.
St. Paul's Bay, a beautiful, almost completely enclosed natural harbor. is located near Lindos. Acts 21:1 records the Apostle Paul's journey to Rhodes on his way toward Jerusalem, but does not specify a location. The people of Lindos believe Paul stopped here around AD 51, and to commemorate his arrival, they built the small Chapel of Agios Pavios on the harbor's edge.
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| Artist Unknown - Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
The Ancient Theatre of Lindos is unusual because it is not built of masonry like most theatres; instead, it is cut into the natural contours of the hillside. It was constructed in the fourth century BC and would accommodate 1,800 spectators.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
The Acropolis of Lindos sits atop a 116-meter (381 feet) rocky cliff, and visitors must navigate a series of steep stairways, gateways, and terraces to reach it. We decided to save the Acropolis for our next visit.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
We were fortunate to have Nicholas guide us through the Lindos maze. He knew all the small streets and led us up and down the residential district's narrow walkways, past whitewashed houses and courtyards, until we reached the commercial district.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Most stores in the commercial district had floors with distinctive black-and-white pebble mosaics known as "chochlaki." We could even have our picture taken with a donkey.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Before leaving town, women were invited to leave their imprint on the Kissing Wall.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
The Knights of St. John (Knights Hospitaller) took control of Rhodes in 1309 and transformed the city into one of the most formidable fortified centers in the eastern Mediterranean. Beyond the D'Amboise Gate stands the Palace of the Grand Masters, which dominates the upper portion of Old Town. It served as the Grand Master's residence, administrative center, and military headquarters for the Knights of St. John.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
The palace's floor mosaics were amazing. One mosaic depicted Medusa, the famous Gorgon from Greek mythology. Medusa was traditionally depicted with snakes in her hair, and anyone who looked directly at her would be turned to stone. Perseus eventually killed Medusa by using her reflection in his polished shield, avoiding her direct gaze. The image of Medusa's head was frequently used to ward off evil.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
As the Knights of St. John expanded, language became a problem, so in 1319, at a general meeting held at Montpellier, France, the Knights divided into groups known as "Langues," generally by geographic and linguistic origin. Langue is a French word meaning "language" or "tongue." Each Langue had a leader, the Pilier, who oversaw activities in his district, including an auberge (inn of headquarters) where members could lodge, eat together, and conduct business. Some Langue shields were on display in the Palace.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
The adjoining room displayed pictures of Grand Masters hanging on the wall.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
The central courtyard is surrounded by two-story building walls and a stairway leading to the palace's upper chambers.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
The Roloi Clock Tower is not part of the Palace of the Grand Master, but it stands nearby. In 1856, a massive gunpowder explosion caused substantial damage, but the tower was rebuilt in 1857.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
The Suleymaniye Mosque is also near the Palace and has a 34.5-meter (113-foot) minaret. The mosque was originally established in 1522, immediately after Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent conquered Rhodes from the Knights of St. John. After leaving Rhodes, the Knights went to Malta, where the Order became known as the Knights of Malta.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Along many streets, merchants sell items adjacent to historic structures and walls. The blue-and-white oval decorations, called "nazar amulets" (evil eye amulets), are believed to protect against the "evil eye."
Walls also marked property boundaries and included doorways that provided access to private residences, courtyards, and gardens.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
A Knights of St. John Rhodes Auberge (Inn) is located on the Street of the Knights, just a short distance from the Palace.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Continuing toward the harbor is the commercial shopping district and Plateia Ippokratous (Hippocrates Square) in the heart of Old Town Rhodes. This is one of the main gathering places, with restaurants and shops surrounding the Castellania Fountain.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Sophia's and Ashley's favorite shop was Hans & Gretel in Hippocrates Square, which served Chimney Cakes and other sweets. Chimney Cakes are made by wrapping strips of sweet yeast dough around a cylindrical mold, coating the dough with sugar, and rotating it while it bakes. The heat caramelizes the sugar, producing a crispy golden crust and a soft interior. The hollow cake is then filled with gelato or ice cream and coated with cinnamon, nuts, chocolate, or other toppings.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
A short distance away is Plateia Evreon Martyron (Square of the Jewish Martyrs), which contains the Hippocampus Fountain (Sea Horse Fountain).
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| Picture by Kolohe |
The Panagia tou Bourgou (Church of the Virgin of the Burgh, or Virgin Mary of Mercy) was constructed in the early 14th century and had a three-aisled basilica with pointed arches. Most of the church was destroyed by World War II bombing, but the apses and one wall remain.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
The Panagia Gate (Gate of the Virgin) is adjacent to the Church of the Virgin of the Burgh and opens toward Kolona Harbor along the eastern waterfront of Rhodes Old Town.
Just outside the gate, a sculpture depicts four bottlenose dolphins leaping out of the water together.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
For our island day tour, we were fortunate to have Nicholas, a lifelong local with impressive knowledge of Rhodes, as our guide. His familiarity with the island's fascinating history and ancient ruins made our visit especially memorable.
When we returned to the ship, we found an original artwork on our bed.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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