Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes, Rhodes (must see)

The Palace of the Grand Master was once the administrative seat of the Knights Hospitaller and the symbolic heart of the Knights’ Quarter. During the Ottoman period, the building fell into neglect and was later used as a prison. In 1856, a gunpowder explosion caused severe damage, leaving much of the structure in ruins. The palace was extensively reconstructed during the Italian administration in the 1930s. The rebuilding did not follow the original medieval layout and introduced new interior elements, including sculptures and mosaics transferred from other Dodecanese islands.

Despite these issues, the palace remains visually commanding, dominating one of the highest points of the Old Town. The interior incorporates architectural fragments such as columns and capitals reused from ancient sites. The reconstructed rooms feature coffered wooden ceilings and windows fitted with translucent stone panels that soften the interior light. Many of the grand halls are decorated with large-scale Hellenistic and Roman mosaics, primarily brought from Kos.

Visitors enter between two imposing semicircular towers and ascend a broad marble staircase to the upper level, where spacious ceremonial rooms are intentionally sparsely furnished to emphasize architectural form and mosaic decoration. Among the most notable scenes are representations of the Nine Muses, a sea nymph riding a hippocamp, and the head of Medusa, along with marine motifs featuring fish and dolphins.

The ground floor, once used for storage and logistical purposes during sieges, encloses a large courtyard populated with classical-style statues. Today, this level hosts permanent and temporary exhibitions that outline the history of Rhodes from antiquity through the medieval period and up to the Ottoman conquest, offering broader historical context alongside the palace’s own story.