Rhodes Island, known for its medieval architecture and castles, is the 4th largest island of Greece and the largest of the Dodecanese Islands, located in the Aegean Sea. Rhodes has been inhabited since the Neolithic period (4000 B.C) and due to its size and location, it has been famous throughout history.
During the Hellenistic Period (323BC – 33 BC), the island flourished economically and culturally. As one of the most organized and eminent periods of ancient times, the growth and expansion of the cities were immense. A case in point was in 280 BC when the citizens built the monumental statue of the Greek sun-god Helios. It’s more widely known as the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World. It stood 33 meters tall and was made of polished brass but has collapsed during an earthquake in 292 BC. Unfortunately, it was never restored.
Another prime period of Rhodes was during the two centuries of the “Domination of the Knights” 1300-1522. They built and restored a hospital, a palace, several churches, and various castles. The Old Town of Rhodes still carries its medieval character with excellent examples of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. In 1522, the Ottoman Empire defeated the Knights and enslaved the island for 4 eons. After these 400 years, Italy occupied the island and they created a colony named “The Italian Islands of the Aegean”. Even though the inhabitants were Greeks for centuries, it wasn’t until 1947 that the island was reunited with modern-day Greece, due to the WW2 Peace Treaty. The Medieval Old City of Rhodes has been declared a World Heritage Site. The unique traits of the island’s history, are still showing today, especially in architecture. The Palace of the Grand Master, the remaining buildings of the Order of the Knights, the Turkish Baths are some to name a few.
Today, Rhodes Island is one of the top vacation destinations in Europe due to its uniqueness! Rhodes offers something for every taste; the cosmopolitan and traditional are blended into what locals call “life on Rhodes”.
