Saturday, June 11, 2016

Greece | Island of Rhodes | Rhodes Old Town | Old Town Walls

The wall build around the Old Town of Rhodes by the Knights Hospitaller is about 1.8 miles in circumference. There are eleven gates in the wall. 
Old Town Wall (click on image for enlargements)
One of the Gates in the Wall
One of the Gates in the Wall
One of the Gates in the Wall
One of the Gates in the Wall
Detail of the Gate
One of the Gates in the Wall
Detail of the Gate
One of the Gates in the Wall
One of the Gates in the Wall
Detail of the Gate
Wall on the seaward side
Fortification built into the wall
Fortification built into the wall
Fortification built into the wall
The outer wall to right, in from of the higher outer wall
A section of the outer wall
Inner wall on right
The outer wall to right, in front of the higher outer wall
One of the bastions in the wall
Stone cannonballs left from over various sieges of Rhodes by the Ottoman Turks. The city was finally seized by the Ottomans in 1522. 
Turkish cannonballs

Friday, June 10, 2016

Greece | Rhodes Island | Rhodes Old Town | Knight Hospitaller






































From Chania On The Island Of Crete I wandered over to the island of Rhodes. The town of Rhodes was of course the headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller from 1309 to 1522, when they were displaced by the Ottoman Turks under Suleiman the Magnificent.










 Crete at the bottom of the map. Rhodes is the easternmost of the white (Greek) islands, with the town of Rhodes at the northern end (click on images for enlargements).


The old town is essentially the part of the town lying inside the
mammoth walls built by the Knights Hospitaller. The modern town of
Rhodes lies outside the old city walls. 




Modern city to the north and south of Rhodes Old Town, shown here in dark yellow







 Old Town of Rhodes showing the Hospitaller walls in brown.









Main street of the Rhodes Old Town. Rhodes is primarily a summer resort. In the winter most of the stores and restaurants serving tourists are closed and the town is very quiet.



 Same street in summertime; obviously a different scene (not my photo)




Main Square of Rhodes Old Town




Ipoton Street, or the Street of Knights, leading to the Castle of the Knights Hospitaller. On either side of the street were lodges which hosted members of the Knights Hospitaller from various European countries. Prominent were the French and English.



Another view of the Street of Knights






































Entrance to the Castle of Knights, which was the headquarter of the Knights Hospitaller and the home of their Grand Master. Parts of the castle was destroyed by a gunpowder explosion in the nineteenth century. It was rebuilt in the twentieth century. The entryway with its two towers, however, reportedly dates back to the original building.




Another view of the entrance to the Castle of the Knights Hospitaller.






Another view of the entrance to the Castle of the Knights Hospitaller




Courtyard of the Castle of the Knights Hospitaller




Arcade of the Castle of the Knights Hospitaller



 Backside of the Castle of the Knights Hospitaller




View of Castle of the Knights Hospitaller from the back


















My quarters in Rhodes Old Town. Oddly enough, the hotel appeared to be
run by a Chinese woman in her early twenties. It was certainly an
accommodating place. My room even had  complimentary ground coffee and a
French press.  


Greece | Rhodes Island | Rhodes Old Town | Knight Hospitaller

From Chania On The Island Of Crete I wandered over to the island of Rhodes. The town of Rhodes was of course the headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller from 1309 to 1522, when they were displaced by the Ottoman Turks under Suleiman the Magnificent.
 Crete at the bottom of the map. Rhodes is the easternmost of the white (Greek) islands, with the town of Rhodes at the northern end (click on images for enlargements).
The old town is essentially the part of the town lying inside the mammoth walls built by the Knights Hospitaller. The modern town of Rhodes lies outside the old city walls. 
Modern city to the north and south of Rhodes Old Town, shown here in dark yellow

 Old Town of Rhodes showing the Hospitaller walls in brown.

Main street of the Rhodes Old Town. Rhodes is primarily a summer resort. In the winter most of the stores and restaurants serving tourists are closed and the town is very quiet.
 Same street in summertime; obviously a different scene (not my photo)
Main Square of Rhodes Old Town
Ipoton Street, or the Street of Knights, leading to the Castle of the Knights Hospitaller. On either side of the street were lodges which hosted members of the Knights Hospitaller from various European countries. Prominent were the French and English.
Another view of the Street of Knights
Entrance to the Castle of Knights, which was the headquarter of the Knights Hospitaller and the home of their Grand Master. Parts of the castle was destroyed by a gunpowder explosion in the nineteenth century. It was rebuilt in the twentieth century. The entryway with its two towers, however, reportedly dates back to the original building.
Another view of the entrance to the Castle of the Knights Hospitaller.
Another view of the entrance to the Castle of the Knights Hospitaller
Courtyard of the Castle of the Knights Hospitaller
Arcade of the Castle of the Knights Hospitaller
 Backside of the Castle of the Knights Hospitaller
View of Castle of the Knights Hospitaller from the back
My quarters in Rhodes Old Town. Oddly enough, the hotel appeared to be run by a Chinese woman in her early twenties. It was certainly an accommodating place. My room even had  complimentary ground coffee and a French press.