THE
ISLAND OF RHODES, GREECE
Rhodes or Rhodos or Rodos is the largest of the Dodecanese
islands, and easternmost of the major islands of Greece in the Aegean
Sea. It lies approximately 11 miles west of Turkey, situated between the
Greek mainland and the island of Cyprus. Its population in 2004 was estimated
at 130,000, of which between 55,000 and 60,000 resided permanently in
the city of Rhodes, the main commercial and population center. Rhodes
is the capital of the District of the Dodecanese and of the Province of
Rhodes, which also includes the nearby islands of Symi, Tilos, Halki,
and Kastellorizo.
The island of Rhodes is shaped like a spearhead, 80 km long and 38 km
wide with a coastline of approximately 220 km. The city of Rhodes is located
at the far northern end of the island, including the site of the ancient
and modern commercial harbor. Historically, it was known for its Colossus
of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The medieval city of
Rhodes Town is a World Heritage Site
Medieval City of Rhodes The Order of St John of Jerusalem occupied
Rhodes from 1309 to 1523 and set about transforming the city of Rodos
into a stronghold. It subsequently came under Turkish and Italian rule.
With the Palace of the Grand Masters, the Great Hospital and the Street
of the Knights, the Upper Town is one of the most beautiful urban ensembles
of the Gothic period. In the Lower Town, Gothic architecture coexists
with mosques, public baths and other buildings dating from the Ottoman
period . |
