Rhodes Medieval Town

Rhodes Medieval Town

The Medieval Town of Rhodes is a UNESCO World Heritage Site occupying the northern tip of Rhodes island in the southeastern Aegean, Greece — the largest inhabited medieval town in Europe and the best-preserved example of a fortified Knights Hospitaller settlement in the world.

History

Rhodes City was founded in 408 BC and became one of the most prosperous cities of the ancient Mediterranean. After the Crusades, the Knights of the Order of Saint John (Knights Hospitaller) captured the island in 1309 and rebuilt the urban fabric according to their military and religious needs. Their fortifications withstood two major Ottoman sieges before Suleiman the Magnificent finally took the city in 1522. Under Ottoman rule (1522–1912), mosques and baths were added to the existing Gothic and Byzantine fabric. Italy administered the island 1912–1943, leaving its own architectural stamp. The town was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988.

What to See

The Street of the Knights (Odos Ippoton) is the finest surviving medieval street in Europe — a cobbled lane lined with the auberges (lodging houses) of the seven national tongues of the Order, virtually unchanged since the 15th century. The Palace of the Grand Masters dominates the northern end of the Old Town; its mosaic floors were brought from the island of Kos by the Italian administration. The Archaeological Museum occupies the former Knights’ Hospital. The Jewish Quarter and the Ottoman Süleymaniye Mosque add further layers of history. Ancient city walls, nearly 4 km long, can be walked in their entirety.

Getting There

Rhodes island is served by Diagoras International Airport, with direct flights from most European cities in summer. The Medieval Town is in Rhodes City on the northern tip of the island. Ferry connections link Rhodes to Athens (Piraeus), Crete, and neighbouring Dodecanese islands. The Old Town is easily walkable from the main ferry port.

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