Church of Our Lady of the Castle (Museum Square), Rhodes

Museum Square is defined by several key monuments that reflect the layered religious and administrative history of Rhodes. Standing on the northern side of the square, the Church of Our Lady of the Castle dominates the space and is one of the most important ecclesiastical buildings in the Old Town. The structure originated in the 11th century as an Orthodox Byzantine cathedral. In the early 14th century, between 1319 and 1334, the Knights Hospitaller reconstructed it into a Gothic three-aisled basilica, adapting it to serve as their Latin cathedral.
During the Ottoman period, the building was converted into a mosque known as the Enderun Mosque, with additions such as a minaret, later removed during restorations carried out in the Italian period. Today, as you approach the main entrance facing the square, the church houses a permanent exhibition of icons, medieval sculptures, and ecclesiastical artifacts.

At the southeastern edge of the square, near the Arnáldou Gate, stands the Inn of England. When facing the gate, the building appears just inside the medieval walls, marking the point where the fortified Collachium, the Knights’ administrative quarter, gives way to the commercial town beyond. Originally constructed in 1483 to house members of the English langue of the Knights Hospitaller, the building was destroyed in the gunpowder explosion of 1856 and later reconstructed in 1919 during the Italian period, following the original plans.