Town of knights

Historical visit

On a bright, sunny June morning, I stood gaping at the Mandraki harbour, trying to imagine the gigantic Colossus, which is believed to have stood there. It was one of the seven wonders of ancient world. For about 56 years, the Colossus stood at the harbour till an earthquake devastated Rhodes in 226 BC, causing the statue to disintegrate. It is said that the Statue of Liberty was inspired by the Colossus.

Although the Colossus is gone, there are enough archaeological wonders at Rhodes for a traveller to gape at. The island of Rhodes, located at the crossroads of two major sea routes of the Mediterranean, has known many civilisations. Its strategic location brought great wealth and made the city of Rhodes one of the important cities of the ancient Greek world.

On my list was the Old Town of Rhodes, the largest inhabited medieval town of Europe, which has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

A fascinating past

In 1309, the Order of the Hospitaller Knights of St John of Jerusalem occupied the island and fortified it. A medley of cultures inhabited the Old Town. There were the Greek Orthodox Christians, Jews and a sprinkling of other races till the Ottoman Turks captured the town in 1522. With them came the Turkish baths and the churches were converted into mosques. 

The most stunning structure in the Old Town, which has no less than seven gates, is the Palace of the Grand Master. Not surprisingly, it has been designated as a part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Medieval City of Rhodes.

That morning, as I walked down the Street of the Knights, which was the main thoroughfare from the Port to the Palace of the Grand Master, I mulled over the history of the place. This is the street on which the knights had their lodges and inns.

The seven inns represented the seven countries or ‘tongues’ that the knights came from. The seven countries were Germany, France, England, Auvergne, Italy, Provence and Castille-Aragon. Seven seems to be a recurring number in the scheme of things. The inns were used as clubs by the knights. They also housed the visiting VIPs. Their facades detail the architectural styles of their nations. Most of these inns are not open to public now.

The Palace, an imposing structure, stood before me. Originally a Byzantine fortress, it was converted by the knights into the residence of the Grand Master. It also functioned as the administrative headquarter of the order. Of the 158, only 24 rooms of the Palace are open to public. These house some of the sculptures, carpets, furniture and vases from ancient times.

The floors are an impressive medley of mosaic, some of them dating back to the 1st century. The mosaic of Medusa on the ground floor is particularly striking. It is possible to spend one full day and yet not see everything that is on offer — so vast is the collection.

The Old Town is scattered with medieval structures, quaint fountains, Byzantine and Gothic churches, mosques, cafes and shops. With more than a hundred narrow lanes, it is easy to lose one’s bearing. At the other end of the Street of the Knights stands the Archaeological Museum, which was once the Hospital of the Knights.

The museum houses some of the most beautiful sculptures and curios from Hellenistic period along with funerary items. One of the most interesting sculptures is the one of Crouching Aphrodite dating back to 1st BC.

Secular view

Across the Museum Square is the Church of Our Lady of the Castle. Once a Byzantine Orthodox church, dating back to the 11th century, it was transformed into a Catholic Church when the knights occupied the city. As I ambled through the maze of lanes, I came across the bustling Socratous Street, which is a wide street flanked by shops that sell almost everything from jewellery, pottery and souvenirs to artefacts and antiques.

The street led to the Mosque of Suleiman the Magnificent which was erected on the site of the earlier one that dated back to 1808. Its lean minarets and Venetian exterior is a contrast to the Byzantine structures that surround it. Nearby stands the Clock Tower which you can enter by paying a few euros. It provides a magnificent view of the Old Town.

Close by stood the Mustafa Pasha Mosque and the municipal baths, known as ‘Turkish baths’ by the locals. Housed in a 7th century Byzantine structure, these are still functional and one can pay a small fee for a Turkish bath and massage.

Sauntering around the northeast part of the Old Town, I came across the Square of the Jewish Martyrs with the quaint sea horse fountain, which commemorates the 1,604 Jews who were rounded up by the Nazis and sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. At the pinnacle of its glory, the Old Town housed a significant population of Jews.

One is likely to run into houses with Hebrew inscriptions, and the Jewish cemetery, while wandering through the Jewish quarter. The Jewish synagogue, dating back to 1575, a few metres away, is the oldest functioning synagogue in the country.

The Hospice of St Catherine, dating back to the 14th century, was constructed by the Order of the Knights of St John to host eminent guests. With its beautiful mosaic floors, painted wooden ceiling, magnificent hall and well-appointed bedchamber, it is a reminder of the glorious times.

It was time for me to walk around the 4-km-long peripheral wall of the medieval Old Town. These walls were constructed atop Byzantine fortifications over a period of two centuries by the various occupiers of Rhodes. A huge moat borders the walls, which at places is up to 40 feet in thickness. Soldiers from the seven Langues, posted on the bastions, were entrusted with the defence of the Medieval Town. Yet, the town fell to the Ottoman Turks.

Today, a walk around the massive town recreates the interesting history of the place. Pulsating, lively and mysterious, the town attracts millions of tourists every year.