Square of Jewish Martyrs, Rhodes

The Jewish Quarter forms a dense network of narrow streets centered on the Square of the Jewish Martyrs, often referred to locally as Sea Horse Square after the small fountain that once stood there. Standing in the square today, cafes, small shops, and residential buildings line the perimeter, while just beyond its edges lie key landmarks of the quarter, including the nearby Kahal Shalom Synagogue and the Jewish Museum of Rhodes.

Before World War II, this quarter was home to approximately 5,000-6,000 members of Rhodes’ Sephardic Jewish community, many with roots stretching back centuries. During the 1930s, emigration steadily reduced the population. In July 1944, under German occupation, 1,673 Jews were deported to Auschwitz. Only 151 survived and returned, marking the near destruction of one of the eastern Mediterranean’s oldest Jewish communities.

At the center of the square, shaded by trees, stands the black marble Holocaust Memorial. Its inscription: “Never Forget”, appears in 6 languages. Moving along the eastern and southeastern edges of the square, narrow lanes lead deeper into the former residential heart of the quarter, where traditional stone houses once accommodated extended families and small workshops. Many of these buildings retain their original proportions and ground-floor layouts. From the southern edge of the square, a narrow lane leads directly to the Kahal Shalom Synagogue and the Jewish Museum of Rhodes.