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Greek Islands
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Rhodes island
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Rhodes
island in Greece
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Rhodes related
sites
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Rhodes
(Rodos) island in Greece is part of the Dodecanese
group of island; it is the capital and the biggest of the
group with a population of about 98.000 inhabitants. It is
also the touristiest of all those islands, welcoming a great
amount of package tour or individual tourists attracted by
the high level of sunshine and the interminable sandy
beaches of the island. But the beauties and attributes of
Rhodes are not stopping here; the island still has unspoiled
villages which have kept their authentic colours despite the
high level of tourism, nesting in the foothills of the
island’s mountains.
Other beautiful villages such as
Kamiros, Ialyssos and Lindos are testifying, with their fine
architecture, about Rhodes’s classical past. Another quality
of Rhodes is its rich and varied landscape which is arid and
rocky around the coastlines, creating impressive rocky
formations, and verdant of lush forests in its interior. But
the biggest asset of Rhodes is its capital (the City of
Rhodes); it is a splendid medieval city, the largest
inhabited medieval town in Europe, and its fortifications
are considered as the finest example of medieval
architecture. |
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Rhodes history |
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Because of its strategic
position (on the crossroads between East and West) Rhodes has been under
constant attacks and dominations from early times. Ancient history
The first settlers of the island came from Asia and evidence of Mycenaean
settlement has been found. Dorians were the next settlers. In 500 BC Rhodes was
already a strong power.
After the naval Battle of Salamis and the defeat of the Persians, the island
became part of the Delian League, organisation of which Athens was the leader.
During 408 BC the City states of Rhodes combined and formed the new City of
Rhodes.
With the reign of Alexander the Great, Rhodes fell under Macedonian
domination.
After the fall and fragmentation of the Empire of Macedonia, the island
of Rhodes fought for its freedom and, after a long siege, triumphed in 305 BC .
It was during this period that the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders
of the World, was constructed and straddled the harbour. This impressive
giant statue was demolished during an earthquake. During 150 years the island
flourished and showed its great navigation and maritime skills, establishing one
of the best reputations in these domains.
In 70 AD, Rhodes fell under Roman rule which lasted for three hundred years.
Medieval
Then, it became part of the Byzantine Empire. Because of
its strategic position Rhodes was conquered by Turks, Persians and Saracens.
Then the Venetian and the Genovese took the island, followed by the Knights of
Saint John who fortified the City of Rhodes, leaving their marks on the island.
In 1523, after a long siege, they were ousted by the Ottomans who took control
of Rhodes. The island remained under Ottoman rule until 1912 (despite the
Greek War of Independence).
Recent
During the First World War, Rhodes was taken by the Italians who only left the
island when they capitulated to the allies in 1943.Then, the Germans took it
over for a short period, followed by the English who maintained their rule until
1948, date during which the island of Rhodes (and all the islands of the
Dodecanese) was united to the newly build Greek State.
source:
www.greeka.com |
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Rhodes island today |
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Rhodes (Rodos in Greek) combines the
cosmopolitan character of a contemporary
city with the picturesque of the medieval
town, which gives the impression of having
been untouched by the passage of time.
Unfortunately, the island has succumbed to the worst excesses of package tourism. Tourists are there for the taking and Rhodes takes just about as much
as it can possibly get.
Sightseeing
- At Rhodes town worth a visit
the old city (make sure you take
a map), Symi Square near
Mandraki harbour for a tour of the
Castello where the knights left their
most enduring mark and for a different
era in Rhodes' history find the Plane
Tree Walk where the clock tower marks
the wall that separated the knights'
quarters from the rest of the city. The
place is packed with shops, bars, cafes,
restaurants - you name it, but expect to
pay for it.
- On the northern outskirts of the
city is the famous Aquarium
(Hydro Biological Station of Rhodes).
The sandy beach to the west of the Yacht
Club is one of the most popular on
Rhodes.
- Lindos, distant 47km from the
city of Rhodes, is one of the island's major tourist attractions. The
village has perfectly preserved its
medieval character, with pebble-covered
streets and whitewashed houses built on
a slope just over the sea.
- On east coast, Koskinou,
distant only 10 km. from the city is an
inland village with charming traditional
houses. The nearby Kallithea
(10.5 km.) is built around a colorful
pine - covered bay with old spas. Next
on the road is Faliraki (14 km.),
a cosmopolitan resort with an exquisite,
long, sandy beach. Following the coast
we get to Ladiko and his emerald sea
waters. A magnificent place to
visit with a small beach and high rocks.
- On the west coast, one can
find populous resorts, important
archaeological sites and
picturesque villages. You should
visit the famous Petaloudes
(Butterflies) valley (25 km), unique in
the whole of Greece. Millions of
butterflies gather here in the summer.
The slightest sound drives them in
flocks from among the trees and shrubs -
a rare sight. Returning to the coast
road we reach the side - road leading to
ancient Kamiros, third in
importance commercial center of
antiquity (34 km.). Archaeologists
discovered this city, forgotten for
centuries, in 1928. Ruins of this city -
unique in having neither a castle nor an
acropolis - are not commensurate with
its past glory. The traveller
will be pleasantly surprised by the
amphitheatric Kritinia village (55 km.), with a
nearby impressive medieval castle. The
road winds south trough the forest to
Siana (69
km.), famous for its aromatic pine-sage
honey and souma, full of old
stone houses and a church with heavily
restored eighteenth-century frescoes.
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Rhodes hotels |
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Visit this page to find more about
Rhodes hotels
or, if you like me to assist you with
your choice, please
send me an e-mail with your questions and enquiries. I will be glad to reply and
assist you, wherever I possibly can. |
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If you like me to assist you with
your choice, please
send me an e-mail with your questions and enquiries. I will be glad to reply and
assist you, wherever I possibly can. |
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