Temple of Athena Polias and Zeus Polieus, Rhodes
The Temple of Athena Polias and Zeus Polieus, located at the northern edge of the Acropolis, was more than just a place of worship; it also doubled as a key place for storing important treaties and documents during the Hellenistic period of Rhodes.
Surrounded by columns on all sides, this temple was quite the sight back in the day. Even the remains we see today are impressive and give us a hint of its past glory. You can still see parts of its structure, like the column drums-some are as big as 1.20 meters in diameter and others are a bit smaller at 1 meter across.
From inscriptions found on-site, we know that people came here to worship both Athena and Zeus, with several statues of Athena also discovered here. Researchers think this temple was built before the nearby Stoa Building, around the 4th century B.C. Later on, in the 5th and 6th centuries A.D., a Christian church was raised right over the original temple, and in medieval times, they even added a monastery.
Surrounded by columns on all sides, this temple was quite the sight back in the day. Even the remains we see today are impressive and give us a hint of its past glory. You can still see parts of its structure, like the column drums-some are as big as 1.20 meters in diameter and others are a bit smaller at 1 meter across.
From inscriptions found on-site, we know that people came here to worship both Athena and Zeus, with several statues of Athena also discovered here. Researchers think this temple was built before the nearby Stoa Building, around the 4th century B.C. Later on, in the 5th and 6th centuries A.D., a Christian church was raised right over the original temple, and in medieval times, they even added a monastery.
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.
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Temple of Athena Polias and Zeus Polieus on Map
Sight Name: Temple of Athena Polias and Zeus Polieus
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.
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
Medieval Town Walking Tour
“As long as Rhodes stands, the enemy shall find no easy passage westward.”
Attributed to Pierre d’Aubusson, Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, the saying captures the purpose that shaped the Medieval Town of Rhodes more than any single monument. From the moment the Knights arrived in 1309, the city was conceived not simply as a settlement, but as a fortified barrier between the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Attributed to Pierre d’Aubusson, Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, the saying captures the purpose that shaped the Medieval Town of Rhodes more than any single monument. From the moment the Knights arrived in 1309, the city was conceived not simply as a settlement, but as a fortified barrier between the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Rhodes Introduction Walking Tour
Roman writer Pliny the Elder once claimed that Rhodes was home to more than three thousand statues. The most famous of them was, without doubt, the Colossus of Rhodes, a monumental bronze statue of the sun god Helios, erected in the early 3rd century BC and later counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Rhodes is one of the most historically layered islands in the eastern... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 Miles
Rhodes is one of the most historically layered islands in the eastern... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 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