The Medieval Town

The fascinating history of Old Town dates back in 408 B.C. It passed thru Byzantine period on its own until the Knights of Saint John took over the island (1309).
For the following two centuries life flourished Rhodes and the Knights made such a good job of building and fortifying the city that even 4 centuries of Turkish rule left little trace of Ottomans.

When Knights first arrived (1309), Rhodes Town was practically deserted and the entire population of the island was a mere 10.000. Knights saw that for island to be truly secure needed to be repopulated, and thus provided with a source of defenders who would fight to retain their homes and protect their families and lands. The first call for colonists went out I May 1313 under the aegis of Foulques De Villaret, and was repeated by different Grand Masters several times in the years that followed.

The island and particularly the town itself, was a fine example of how people of different creeds and cultures can join together for mutual benefit and live harmoniously side-by-side. Relations between Catholic and Orthodox churches were good and there were Armenians, Jews and even a few Turks residing on the island.
Today, The Old Town it's known as one of the biggest medieval town in Europe and, what is unique is its spectacular life between those walls.


The Colossus of Rhodes

The Colossus of Rhodes was, of course, in its time one of the "Seven Wonders of the World"
The Rhodians put up the Colossus to honor their protector Helios (Sun-God) and was commissioned from the sculptor Chares of Lindos taking about 12 years to complete.
According to the ancient sources, the statue limbs were constructed in sections, Construction started of from a marble base. To which the feet and ankles were fixed. The remaining parts of the body were gradually added, those already in place having earth pilled up against them, so that work could be continued at the ground level. It seems, than, that a hill of earth must gradually have been built up round the statue, which by the time it was finished must have had a height of some 30 meters.
Travelers who visited Rhodes inform us that it had a height of 31-32 meters. According to their descriptions, there was room for 12 men in his chest, a man could stand upright in its had, its nose was 30 cm long and a fingernail 15 cm.

Various hypotheses have been put forward about where the statue stood. According to one view, it was sited at the entrance of the Harbour (where the two bronze deer now stand), so that ships passed beneath its parted legs.

The Colossus stood in its original position for a total of 56 years, until, in 227/6 BC it was demolished by an earthquake. Although the Rhodians actually got together the funds necessary for re-erecting it, in the end they did not put it back in position, heeding an oracle, which warned them that this would cause many disasters for the people of the island.
Thus remained for some 800 years exactly as it had fallen, a sight to be seen by visitors.



The New City

The New City of Rhode owes it existence to the migration of the residents to outside the walls after the Siege of Suleyman the Magnificent in 1522. Its development and buildings date chiefly from the time of the Italian occupation. The Italians adorned it with new buildings in the new-Gothic and Venetian style, many of which are still standing today, giving the city a character all its own - particularly in the area of the port.
Most of the activities of the island are concentrated in the modern city. The highly developed tourist trade has resulted in the building of many luxurious hotels, designed with a modern approach to aesthetics. It is in this part of the city that most of the places of entertainment are to be found, keeping it alive until the early hours and giving cosmopolitan flavor.

Getting to know the island

Leaving the city of Rhodes, after 8 km can be reached Trianta, a village which stands among orchards, very close to the sea. Here, the whole of the shore of the bay (approximately 10kms) is packed with modern hotel; almost half of the hotels of the island are concentrated on this side of Rhodes. At a distance of 3 km, in a dense pinewood, the archeological site of Ialyssos is reached. This area was inhabited in the Minoan period who's life begun around 1550 BC.

From Ialyssos, returning to the main road at 3 km on westerly direction Kremasti Village is to be found, which attracts increasing numbers of visitors.

Leaving the coast road and going inland can be reached The Valley of Butterflies. Here visitors can enjoy a delightful stroll through the green valley among the plane trees, the Liquidambar orientalis trees and the cool running water, which sometimes flows in streams and sometimes forms little waterfalls.
There, on the trunks of the trees, from July to September, tens of thousands of butterflies, charmed by the balsam produced by Liquidambar, find refuge.
Tradition says that if the visitor who comes for the first time throws a coin in to the lake and makes a wish, this will be granted.

Following the road, after passing few more villages Epta Piges welcomes walkers with an idyllic picture formed by the gentle waters of its springs, flowing beneath the pines and the plane trees.

On the east coast of the island lays Faliraki and Lindos
Faliraki, this former fishing village has developed into a major tourist resort with a large number of hotels strung out along its level sandy beach.

Just after Faliraki you can reach Anthony Quinn Bay after the film star who played Zorba the Greek. Anthony Quinn received some land here and he was going to build a house here; unfortunately this never happened.

On the way to Lindos we'll meet Tsampika Beach, one of the finest on the island. Its northern side is closed in by a steep hill, on the top of which stands the Byzantine Monastery of Tsampika, dedicated to the Blessing Virgin.
Lindos - one of the three city-states founded by the Dorians on the island stands among imposing rocks, which rise steeply from the sea, creating many idyllic little harbours.
A rocky hill rises between two sheltered bays. It's top is dominated by Acropolis of Lindos which can be reached on foot or on donkeys. The view from the top is unique: the bay of Lindos with its scores of fishing boats on one side, and on the other the calm water of the cove of Agios Pavlos, where its said that St Paul anchored in 57 AD