We visited the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes, in Old Town this morning. “The Palace was originally built in the late 7th century as a Byzantine citadel. After the Knights Hospitaller occupied Rhodes in 1309, they converted the fortress into their administrative center and the palace of their Grand Master. They repaired the palace and made major modifications. The palace was damaged in the earthquake of 1481, and repaired soon after.
After the 1522 capture of the island by the Ottoman Empire, the palace was used as a command center and fortress. The lower part of the palace was severely damaged by an ammunition explosion in 1856, destroying many rooms in the first floor. During the Italian rule of Rhodes, the palace was restored between 1937 and 1940. It became a holiday residence for the King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III, and later for dictator Benito Mussolini. On February 10, 1947, the Treaty of Peace with Italy, determined that the Italian Republic would transfer the Dodecanese Islands to Greece. The palace was then converted to a museum.” We particularly were impressed by the mosaic floors in the palace, most from the island of Kos and done between the 2nd century BC to 500 AD.
The double exterior walls of the Old Town of Rhodes, the enormous moat, the Street of the Knights of Rhodes, and so many other buildings, temples, and places, are incredible to see, as they stand the test of time.
After the 1522 capture of the island by the Ottoman Empire, the palace was used as a command center and fortress. The lower part of the palace was severely damaged by an ammunition explosion in 1856, destroying many rooms in the first floor. During the Italian rule of Rhodes, the palace was restored between 1937 and 1940. It became a holiday residence for the King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III, and later for dictator Benito Mussolini. On February 10, 1947, the Treaty of Peace with Italy, determined that the Italian Republic would transfer the Dodecanese Islands to Greece. The palace was then converted to a museum.” We particularly were impressed by the mosaic floors in the palace, most from the island of Kos and done between the 2nd century BC to 500 AD.
The double exterior walls of the Old Town of Rhodes, the enormous moat, the Street of the Knights of Rhodes, and so many other buildings, temples, and places, are incredible to see, as they stand the test of time.
