Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes, Rhodes (must see)
At the top of the Street of the Knights stands the Palace of the Grand Master, which once served as the administrative core of the Order of the Knights of Saint John and the centerpiece of the Knights’ Quarter. Neglected during the Ottoman era and used as a prison before being nearly destroyed by an explosion in 1856, the palace was later restored by the Italians in a renovation that remains contentious. The rebuild did not adhere to the original floor plan and introduced modern elements to the interior, including statues and mosaics from other Dodecanese islands, much to the chagrin of those islands that still mourn their loss.
Despite these controversies, the palace continues to awe visitors with its regal presence at the highest point in Rhodes. The use of columns and capitals from ancient sites throughout the interior, and the exterior's stone cladding, illustrate the architectural grandeur of the Knights’ Quarter at its peak. Notable features include the splendid wooden ceilings and the onyx window panes that cast a soft light inside. Many of the main rooms display magnificent Hellenistic and Roman mosaics, sourced from nearby Kos, and while their presence here raises ethical questions, they are nonetheless well-preserved.
Visitors enter the palace between two grand semicircular towers and are greeted by a large marble staircase that leads to the spacious upper-story rooms, deliberately kept sparsely furnished to highlight the architecture and mosaics. These mosaics include depictions of the Nine Muses, a nymph on a sea-horse, and Medusa's head, with motifs of fish and dolphins also prevalent.
The ground floor, once used as stables or as storage for grain and munitions during sieges, now encloses a courtyard adorned with Classical statues and houses a permanent exhibition that spans the first 2,400 years of Rhodes' history. This includes a medieval gallery up to the time of the Ottoman conquest, along with temporary exhibitions. The collections are exceptionally well-organized and labeled, even more so than those of the Archaeological Museum.
Despite these controversies, the palace continues to awe visitors with its regal presence at the highest point in Rhodes. The use of columns and capitals from ancient sites throughout the interior, and the exterior's stone cladding, illustrate the architectural grandeur of the Knights’ Quarter at its peak. Notable features include the splendid wooden ceilings and the onyx window panes that cast a soft light inside. Many of the main rooms display magnificent Hellenistic and Roman mosaics, sourced from nearby Kos, and while their presence here raises ethical questions, they are nonetheless well-preserved.
Visitors enter the palace between two grand semicircular towers and are greeted by a large marble staircase that leads to the spacious upper-story rooms, deliberately kept sparsely furnished to highlight the architecture and mosaics. These mosaics include depictions of the Nine Muses, a nymph on a sea-horse, and Medusa's head, with motifs of fish and dolphins also prevalent.
The ground floor, once used as stables or as storage for grain and munitions during sieges, now encloses a courtyard adorned with Classical statues and houses a permanent exhibition that spans the first 2,400 years of Rhodes' history. This includes a medieval gallery up to the time of the Ottoman conquest, along with temporary exhibitions. The collections are exceptionally well-organized and labeled, even more so than those of the Archaeological Museum.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Rhodes. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes on Map
Sight Name: Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes
Sight Location: Rhodes, Greece (See walking tours in Rhodes)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Rhodes, Greece (See walking tours in Rhodes)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Rhodes, Greece
Create Your Own Walk in Rhodes
Creating your own self-guided walk in Rhodes is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Medieval Town Walking Tour
The medieval town of Rhodes, where every street, square, or building evokes a story about ancient times, is a living museum in its own right. Being one of the best-preserved medieval walled towns in Europe, this enchanting area boasts several remarkable locations and is quite deservedly declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Welcoming you at its entrance is the Liberty (or Eleftherias) Gate.... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Welcoming you at its entrance is the Liberty (or Eleftherias) Gate.... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Mandraki Harbor Tour
Mandraki, one of the three harbors of Rhodes, is by far the most famous of them. For centuries, this “front door” of the island has welcomed visitors to Rhodes from far and away. In large part (and quite literally so), the reason for its popularity was the enormous statue of Colossus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, that used to crown the harbor's entrance, adding a sense... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles
Acropolis of Rhodes
The Acropolis of Rhodes on Monte Smith is an ancient archaeological site. The excavations and restoration works here began under the Italian administration of the island (from 1912 to 1945) and continue to this day. This historic location is home to several significant structures dating back to the Hellenistic period (3rd to 2nd century BC) offering a glimpse into the history and culture of the... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
Gates and Walls Tour
Owing to its geographical location, as a gateway to the Aegean Sea, Rhodes has always had a vantage position on trade routes between the West and the East – well protected against both foreign invaders and corsairs sailing the Mediterranean waters. The early defense system of Rhodes dates back as far as the 4th century BC.
Starting the Middle Ages – the year 1309, when the Knights... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Starting the Middle Ages – the year 1309, when the Knights... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Rhodes Introduction Walking Tour
The city of Rhodes, capital of the eponymous island, has been famous since antiquity as the site of one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Colossus of Rhodes. The enormous statue once stood over the harbor entrance and was destroyed by a powerful earthquake in 226 BC.
The name Rhodes comes from the ancient Greek word “rhódon” (rose), hence the island is sometimes referred to as the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
The name Rhodes comes from the ancient Greek word “rhódon” (rose), hence the island is sometimes referred to as the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles