Rhodes, Greece

Our visit to the Greek island of Rhodes started by going to the top of the island to visit an early Christian monastery. This stone excavation is and early baptismal pool in the shape of a cross, and it is quite rate to find one still intact.

This icon of the Virgin Mary is apparently quite famous.

The chapel of the monastery.

This is the entrance to the restored Grand Masters Palace which was the home of the knights of Saint John, who ruled here for 300 years.

During the 1930's, Mussolini occupied Rhodes. The Italians used the base of the old Palace and added two more floors, with elaborate mosaic floors all moved from the Greek Island of Cos. The turret with the zigzag top is from the Mussolini period. 

The medieval street called the Avenue of the Knights is still intact, and commercial development has been prohibited, so it feels like walking back in time. Dates above doorways (ie1492) are still visible. 

This Medusa is and example of the mosaic floor which was moved from Cos. Many are huge room sizes mosaics, and there is a very interesting exhibit on the methods they used to move and reinstall the floors.

The lovely entrance to the harbor at Rhodes. Rhodes also has a great holiday vibe, with lots of good shops, restaurants, beaches etc, It is known to have 300 days of sunshine a year, so is a very popular spot for Europeans to vacation.  It is very clean, and has tons of character!

 

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