Rhodes (Greek: Ρόδος, Ródos, IPA: [ˈɾo̞ðo̞s]) is a Greek island approximately 11 miles southwest of Turkey in eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007 of which 53,709 resided in the capital city of the island.

Historically, Rhodes was famous worldwide for the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The medieval Old Town of the City of Rhodes has been declared a World Heritage Site. Today Rhodes is a major international tourist destination. The island has also been called Italian Rodi; Turkish Rodos; Ottoman Turkish: ردوس Rodos; Ladino: Rodi or Rodes.

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      Approaching the walled city from the Sea.  The sea gate is surrounded by the towers to the left of the picture. 

                           From inside the walled city looking out through the sea gate to the sea.

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                                                      One of the gates leading into the walled city.

The approach from the sea to the harbor of the walled medieval city with its minarets, domes, and 14th century windmills is an unforgettable experience. Eleven gates lead into the Old Town, one of the most impressive is the 1512 Pili DAmboise Gate, not far from the Palace of the Grand Masters. Gates were named after the locality of origin of the corps of knights who guarded them. The 4 km of walls constructed by the Knights of St. John were built on top of older Byzantine walls, and average about 13 meters/ 38 feet in thickness, curved to deflect projectiles cast at them; a dry moat, 100 feet in width, surrounding them. A fascinating place to wander around in, the Old Town is paved with round pebbles closely packed together-a paving style known as hokhlaki, its narrow alleys full of arches , and stone buildings everywhere. This medieval town is a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

                              

The Street of Knights is the location of several inns dating back to the Middle Ages. It is the most important street of the Old Town, and it leads to the Grand Master's Palace.

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                                                          500 year old stone walls

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Medieval period

In 1309 the Byzantine era came to an end when the island was occupied by forces of the Knights Hospitaller. Under the rule of the newly named "Knights of Rhodes", the city was rebuilt into a model of the European medieval ideal.   The Medieval walled City of Rhodes (pop. 6000) is surrounded by medieval walls with seven gates, a moat and castle. The Knights of Saint John found safe haven inside the Rhodes walls in 1309 when they were booted from the Holy Land. Many of the city's famous monuments, including the Palace of the Grand Master, were built during this period.

 

                                             Palace of the Grand Master
Completed in 1346, this impressive structure was modeled after the Pope's palace in Avignon, fourteen of the Grand Masters having been French, and French the official language of the Knights Order. The storerooms below ground were large enough to house the entire local population in the event of an attack or siege. The Palace was used by both the Ottomans and the Italians as a prison; the Italians rebuilt it as a summer palace for Mussolini and for the king of Italy and Albania, neither of whom ever visited the island, due to the outbreak of war. Though the interior is an overdone Fascist fantasy, the outside is generally true to its medieval origin; the ground floor houses the Medieval Exhibit, which focuses on the history of Rhodes as a trading center under the Knights, and Ancient Rhodes, 2400 Years-this second exhibit dealing with objects that depict ancient daily life.

                                 
                                                  Room inside the Palace of the Grand Master

The strong walls which the Knights had built withstood the attacks of the Sultan of Egypt in 1444, and of Mehmed II in 1480. Ultimately, however, Rhodes fell to the large army of Suleiman the Magnificent in December 1522. The few surviving Knights were permitted to retire to the Kingdom of Sicily. The Knights would later move their base of operations to Malta. The island was thereafter a possession of the Ottoman Empire for nearly four centuries.