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Rhodes Island
When the sun god Helios transformed his love, the nymph Rhodes,
into an island, he created a place of everlasting sunlight. Today,
Rhodes has been declared one of the sunniest places in Europe. One
of the most historically significant moments in Rhodes’s past
was during the rule of the Knights of Saint John. The Palace of
the Grand Master can be seen from quite a distance. The mark of
the medieval era can be seen in the architecture of the Old Town
and specifically down the Street of the Knights, which, in turn,
leads you to the Palace.
Despite many earthquakes, the history of Rhodes has been well preserved
both architecturally and through the efforts of organizations such
as the Archaeological museum. A part of the island’s history
that did not survive the earthquakes is the Colossus, one of the
seven wonders of the ancient world. Although the Colossus collapsed
and disappeared in 226 BC, after a major earthquake, the island
is still strongly connected to its memory. Before it fell, the bronze
male figure stood over 100 feet tall on the harbor of Rhodes, and
symbolically reached its arm to the gods on Olympus. The sheer greatness
and gigantic height of the statue made it a true accomplishment
for the time in which it was built. Although paintings and drawings
attempt to recreate the Colossus based on literary accounts, we
will never really know exactly what it looked like or where it stood
on the island.
Palace of the Grand Master
located in the Old Town, (May to October) Tuesday to Sunday 8am
to 7pm / Monday 12 to 7pm, (November to April) Tuesday to Sunday
8:30 to 2:30, approx. 3 to 4 euro, telephone: 22410-23-359
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