Interesting facts about the city of Rhodes. Interesting facts about Rhodes City of Rhodes medieval buildings interesting facts

Most of the interesting facts about Rhodes are associated with the myths and monuments of Ancient Greece. Any guide to the island will testify to this. We suggest digging deeper and finding out what else attracts travelers to this amazing place.

The Mediterranean pearl, Rhodes, rightfully bears the title of the most beautiful island in Greece. It is located in the south of the Aegean Sea and belongs to the Dodecanese archipelago. The mild tropical climate and picturesque nature attract tourists from all over the world all year round. And for lovers of ancient history, this is simply a real gift. What else do you need to know about the island when going there?

These 11 interesting facts about Rhodes will lift the veil of secrecy and help you fully experience the charm of being in the place where legends were born.

Fact 1. The second name of the island is “Emerald”

Literally, “Rhodos” is translated from Greek as “rose.” It is worth paying tribute to this name, since there are really a lot of roses here. And locals call the island Emerald: all because 37% of the territory of Rhodes is occupied by cypress and pine forests.

From a bird's eye view, the island looks like a picturesque canvas generously strewn with emeralds. The air in these places is saturated with phytoncides, which makes it truly healing. Holidays in the pine and cypress groves of Rhodes are recommended for people suffering from chronic respiratory diseases.

Fact 2. The Colossus of Rhodes comes from here

In addition to numerous architectural, historical and cultural monuments, the island was home to the famous statue of the Colossus of Rhodes. And, as you know, at one time it was one of the seven wonders of the world.

In order to refresh your knowledge from a school history course, let us remind you that the monument became famous due to its gigantic size. The height of the Colossus was 33 meters (almost like the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro). The monument was erected in honor of Helios, the ancient Greek deity of the Sun, the patron saint of Rhodes.

But the statue did not have to show off for long. The colossus stood for only half a century, after which it was destroyed by a strong earthquake in 227 BC. If it weren’t for the Delphic oracle, which forbade the Egyptian king Ptolemy to restore the statue, we might have been able to admire this wonder of the world.

Fact 3. Summer all year round

Rhodes is often called the island of the sun. This is a real paradise for tourists. No matter what time you plan to visit this place, you will almost certainly not be disappointed with the weather. And all because the island is warm and clear about 300 days a year.

So don’t fill your suitcases with warm clothes, you won’t need them. Over the entire history of meteorological observations, the minimum temperature recorded here was - 3°C. Such frosts never happened again in Rhodes.

Fact 4. Place of the largest concentration of butterflies

If you're going on holiday to Rhodes with children, you can be sure that they will quickly get tired of the endless tours of ruins and ruins. For a change, take a break from the historical attractions and take your child to the Petaloudes Valley. During the summer months, millions of butterflies flock here. Agree, such a spectacle will be a real holiday for children.

Fact 5. Savings on transport

Fun fact about Rhodes: If you rent a car, you can travel around the island in less than two hours. The fact is that the length of the coastline of Rhodes is only 220 km. Why waste money and pollute the atmosphere with toxic exhaust? Instead, consider some hiking routes and stroll around enjoying the views. This is savings and undoubted benefits.

Fact 6. It's safe here

On the island of Rhodes you will live like Christ in your bosom. According to statistics, in Rhodes, as in mainland Greece, the crime rate is one of the lowest in the world. Thefts, break-ins and other crimes occur here extremely rarely. In this regard, islanders may leave the doors of their houses and cars open at night. Conclusion: a holiday in Rhodes is perfect for families with children.

Fact 7. Time travel

Would you like to rewind the time machine clock 2600 years ago? Then you have a direct road to Lindos, to the legendary Acropolis. If you are afraid to move so radically away from reality, go 600 years ago, to the medieval city of Rhodes. In 1998 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Impressions of local beauty and a feeling of unity with the past are guaranteed. Many tourists who are lucky enough to personally touch ancient monuments claim that their energy gives inspiration and a temporary surge of physical strength.

Fact 8. Is Hercules the first mayor of the island?

A wonderful myth that claims to be an indisputable fact. Every single resident of Rhodes is sure that one day the legendary hero-demigod Hercules, between his exploits, found time and founded the first settlement on Rhodes. There is no need to argue with the islanders, and why? A beautiful story, and Hercules would certainly look respectable as the head of the island.

Currently, Rhodes has 44 villages, and its population is about 110 thousand inhabitants. Almost all of them (75%) earn their living through a well-developed tourism infrastructure.

Fact 9. Plumbing was invented in Rhodes

It is not known for certain whether this is true, but they knew about what a water supply system was 2500 years ago. Historical facts testify to this. The ancient city of Kamiros, built over two thousand years ago, has one of the oldest water systems in the world. As studies have shown, the residents of Kamiros successfully used this benefit of civilization, since water from the water supply was supplied to every house.

Fact 10. A tree you can walk inside

Rhodes has long been famous for its lush greenery. But this ancient plane tree deserves special attention. The phenomenon plant is located near the Temple of Nektarios. The first thing that strikes tourists is the huge size of the tree. But the most interesting thing is not even this, but the fact that the giant is hollow from the inside. Ten people can fit inside the tree at once. It is safe to say that the plane tree near the Temple of Nektarios is the oldest and most amazing plant on the island of Rhodes.

Fact 11. In Rhodes, not only people kiss...

And even the sea. To see this natural phenomenon with your own eyes, go to the south of the island, where the spit with the romantic name Prasonissi is located. Translated into Russian, this means “kiss of two seas.” The picturesque place is especially loved by tourists, since here you can swim in two seas at once, the Aegean and the Mediterranean.

Rhodes is a living legend that history has carried through the centuries and carefully passed on to us. This is an island where you can rest your soul, a place where miracles come to life, and you feel like you are part of something large-scale and epoch-making. Walk around the island up and down, enjoy its nature, touch the walls of its historical buildings. This is a luxurious gift from nature, and should certainly be accepted with gratitude!

The wonderful island of Rhodes is a true treasure trove of open-air history. Unlike much of the rest of Greece, it is covered in dense vegetation, making it an incredibly beautiful holiday destination, with its beaches attracting huge numbers of tourists every year. Rhodes once changed hands more than once, and its turbulent history was reflected in its appearance, turning it into an amazingly interesting island.

Facts about Rhodes

• The island is washed by two seas at once, the Cretan and Libyan ().
• Among all the islands belonging to Greece, it ranks 4th in area.
• About 130-140 times more people live in Moscow than in Rhodes.
• The island's capital is also called "Rhodes" and its historical center is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• About half of the island's inhabitants live in its capital.
• The city of Rhodes was founded more than 2400 years ago.
• Rhodes is separated from the Turkish mainland by 10 times less distance than from Greece ().
• There are few cloudy days in Rhodes. The sun shines brightly over the island for about 300 days every year.
• Once a temperature of -3 degrees was recorded here. But in general the climate in Rhodes is very mild and pleasant.
• Many locals here do not lock their houses and cars. The crime rate in Rhodes is approaching zero.
• Once upon a time, the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the ancient wonders of the world, was located here. The giant statue was destroyed by an earthquake ().
• You can travel around the entire circumference of Rhodes by car in a few hours, if there are no traffic jams. However, they are almost never here.
• It is in Rhodes, in the town of Lindos, that the only ancient Greek stadium that has survived to this day is located.
• The total length of the coastline of Rhodes is slightly more than 250 kilometers.
• More than 37% of the island's area is covered with forests.
• Translated from ancient Greek, “Rhodes” means “rose”. There really are a lot of these flowers on the island.
• There are deer here. They are also a symbol of the island ().
• There are 44 settlements in Rhodes. These are mostly small villages.
• The island was inhabited in the 4th-5th century BC by people who arrived from Crete.
• Local residents believe that the founder of the first settlement in Rhodes was the legendary Hercules.
• Three quarters of the income to the Rhodes budget comes from tourism.
• The Order of the Knights of Malta was once called the Order of Rhodes. After Rhodes was conquered by the Ottoman Sultan, the knights had to look for a new home, which became Malta ().
• Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of butterflies flock to the Rhodes Valley of Petaloudes once a year for several days.
• In the city of Kamiros, located in Rhodes, a water supply system already operated 2,500 years ago, supplying water to houses.
• Several ancient mosques, perfectly preserved to this day, remind us of the era of Ottoman rule in Rhodes.

Rhodes is known as the "pearl of the Mediterranean". There are many archaeological sites here that give insight into the rich and very interesting history of the island.

Rhodes is the fourth largest island of Greece and the largest island of the Dodecanese archipelago in the southeast Aegean Sea.

It is worth noting that Rhodes is one of the most beautiful Greek islands. From the west it is washed by the Aegean Sea, and in the east the island is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

This Greek mainly consists of hills and low mountains covered with forests. The tropical climate of the island is very beneficial for health.

The summer heat is softened by western winds, and the winter here is very mild with long sunny days.

Rhodes Island, Greece. Brief information:

* The administrative center of the island is the city of Rhodes. Located in the northeast of the island. The population of the city is 60,000.

* International airport of Rhodes - "Diagoras". It is located in the village of Paradisi, 14 km from the capital of the island.

* The area of ​​the island is 1,398 sq km and the population is about 110,000 inhabitants.

* Coastline: 220 km.

* Main language: Greek.

*Currency: Euro.

Rhodes island on the map

Rhodes Island: interesting facts and photos

1. The island of Rhodes is called emerald due to the fact that 37% of the entire territory is occupied by pine and cypress trees.

2. In ancient times, Rhodes was famous throughout the world for one of its seven wonders of the world - the Colossus of Rhodes, a giant statue 33 meters high.

3. The Colossus of Rhodes - a huge statue of the ancient Greek Sun God - Helios, which adorned the port city of Rhodes - was approximately the same size as the Statue of Liberty.

4. The myths of ancient Greece say that Rhodes was the island of Helios - the solar deity, the son of the titan Hyperion. One of the myths says that Helios fell in love with the daughter of Poseidon and Amphitrite - Rhoda. He named the island after her.

The name of the island means "rose" and even today this place continues to be in bloom.

5. The emblem of the island is a deer. This is because its forests are home to a very rare deer - the European fallow deer (Dama dama).

6. There are a total of 44 villages on the island, home to 120,000 inhabitants.

7. Hercules is considered here to be the founder of the first settlement on the island.

8. The share of tourism in the island's economy is 75%.

9. In the 16th century BC (3,700 years ago), Rhodes had close ties with the Minoan civilization of Crete, making Rhodes an important Bronze Age center.

10. Once you visit the island, you can travel back in time 2,600 years to the Acropolis of Lindos, or 600 years back to the beautiful medieval old town, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.

11. The symbol of the world famous sports company Nike was borrowed from the ancient Greek goddess Nike (winged victory). It is implied that the company's sign represents the wing of a sculpture dedicated to this goddess.

The marble sculpture of the Nike of Samothrace, created around 190 BC, was found on the island of Samothrace, but its creator was the sculptor Pythocritus of Lindos, on the island of Rhodes. In addition, part of the sculpture, namely the ship on which Nike stands, is made of gray Larthian marble from Rhodes.

It is worth noting that the sculpture is dedicated to the victory in the naval battle. Since 1884, this sculpture has been in the Louvre.

12. To reduce the weight of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, it was decided to use the lightest materials, including white clay tiles created in Rhodes.

Sights of the island of Rhodes (photos)

13. Rhodes Fortress - previously it was the residence of 19 Grand Masters of the Order of the Hospitallers. In addition, this fortress was the center of Collacium - the quarter where the Rhodes knights lived.

In the Rhodes fortress, residents could find refuge in times of danger. The fortress is so strong that it was able to survive several earthquakes and numerous rainfalls. However, in 1856 an accidental explosion destroyed it.

Later, the fortress was restored, and today it hosts various exhibitions dedicated to the history of the island.

Fortress in 1844

14. Petaloudes Valley also known as the "Valley of the Butterflies". In summer, only one type of butterfly, known as the four-spotted mole cricket, flocks to this place.

15. Acropolis of Lindos - its ancient ruins are interestingly mixed with the medieval walls and buildings of the Hospitaller fortress.

The Acropolis of Lindos is the second most popular acropolis in Greece, after Athens.

16. In Lindos there is the only Olympic stadium in the world, which is analogous to the stadium of ancient Olympia. Only he could survive to this day.

Rhodes. Greece. Attractions.

17. Seven Springs - this beautiful natural park is located near the village of Kolymbia, on the east coast of the island. Here you can find the remains of hydraulic structures.

18. Ancient city of Kamiros - here are the ruins of an ancient city, residential areas and an ancient water supply system dating back to the 5th century BC. e. This place is not very popular among tourists, so it is calm here.

19. In Rhodes you can also find the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary at Asklipio, a 14th-century temple located in the village of Asklipio. The temple was built on the site of an even more ancient church.

20. The medieval Palace of the Grand Masters, also known as Castello Castle, also known as Kritinia Castle, is located on the Street of the Knights in the Old Town.

Another name of the street is Odos Ippoton and on it you can find many buildings of different ages. It is also known as one of the rare streets from the Middle Ages that has survived to this day.

The palace has 205 halls and rooms, among which it is worth highlighting: the Hall of Byzantine Icons, the Reception Hall, the Hall of the Italian Governor, and the Hall of Music, Dance and Waiting.

Rhodes city- one of the oldest cities in the world. Its history begins in 408 AD. Rhodes is listed as a World Heritage Site due to its historical architectural monuments.

All architectural structures Greece in this part of the country several styles are combined. The ancient part of Rhodes, or the Old Town, is surrounded by a wall, which has 11 gates. They are unique architectural structures. The length of the wall is 4 kilometers. On the walls of the Old Town of Rhodes there are 150 ancient coats of arms of knights and masters who once lived in these places.

Geographically Rhodes divided into 2 parts: Burg and Collachium.

In the first part of the city, in Burg, ordinary residents lived. The main street of this part of Rhodes is lined with shops, taverns, restaurants and souvenir shops.

Collachium was the habitat of knights and masters. One of the palaces of these settlers, the Palace of the Grand Masters, has been well preserved to this day. It was founded in the fourteenth century. It is interesting that in 1856 this palace was almost destroyed by an explosion, but in the 20th century it was completely restored according to ancient sketches. Pereri Palace of the Grand Masters is one of the main attractions of Rhodes. In the castle itself you can see two exhibition halls dedicated to the historical culture of the country, in particular Rhodes.

From the palace there is a street of knights, on it there are small ancient knightly courtyards, which bear the names of the countries from which the knights came, for example: Italian courtyard, French courtyard, Spanish courtyard, etc.

A huge number of museums are available to tourists all year round. On Rhodes there is a museum of Archeology. This museum is located in an old building that once belonged to a knight's hospital.

In the Byzantine Museum you can admire frescoes and Byzantine icons. The museum itself is located in the building of the Red Mosque.

There are many mosques in Rhodes that carry the spirit of antiquity. The mosque, built during the reign of the Ottoman Empire, has been well preserved. Other equally interesting mosques: the mosque of Sultan Suleiman the Great (1522), the Ibrahim Pasha Mosque (1531), the Rajap Pasha Mosque (1588).

Sights of Greece, Rhodes

In addition, Rhodes is located on the shores of two seas - the Mediterranean and the Aegean. If you love a relaxing beach holiday on the Mediterranean coast, there is always a place for you. If you need adrenaline or are a fan of surfing, then the Aegean coast is perfect for you.

Sights of Greece, Rhodes

Interesting facts about Rhodes

The historical part of the city of Rhodes, the largest settlement on the island, is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The island is popular not only among tourists, but also receives increased attention from scientists. Archaeological excavations are constantly carried out in Rhodes, during which many monuments and architectural structures of antiquity are studied.

Interesting facts about Rhodes will be of interest to anyone who is interested in ancient Greek history. And in general, those cities and countries that have a thousand-year history cannot but attract the attention of any educated person.

It should be noted that we already wrote about Rhodes when we talked about the Colossus of Rhodes, which is one of the seven wonders of the world. Now we’ll just tell you some interesting facts about Rhodes.

After the loss of the Holy Land by the Crusaders, the residence of the Grand Master of the Order was moved here. According to contemporaries, at the end of the 15th century, the Rhodes fortress was the most modern and impregnable of the Christian fortresses. The fortress was the residence of 19 grand masters of the Hospitaller Order, the center of Collacium - the quarter of the Rhodian knights, and also the last refuge of residents in times of danger.

Entrance to the Palace of the Grand Masters

Built in the 14th century, it survived earthquakes and sieges, but was destroyed in 1856 by an accidental explosion. The unique palace was restored by the Italians in the 1930s.

It will take less than 2 hours to travel around the entire island by car. That is, Rhodes is not at all large in area.

The oldest Greek stadium is located in the city of Lindos.

Rhodes is known for its extremely low crime rate.

Half the population of this island (60,000 people) lives in the capital Rhodes.

About 35% of the island's total area is covered by pine and cypress forests.

In translation, the word “Rhodes” is translated as “rose”.

According to the islanders themselves, they consider Hercules, the hero of the myths of ancient Greece, the founder of the very first settlement on the island.

In Rhodes there is a unique Petaloudes Valley (valley of the butterflies). Butterflies come here in summer in huge numbers.

An interesting fact is that Rhodes is often called the “pearl of the Mediterranean.” Those who have been there at least once definitely agree with this popular name.

It is believed that Christianity was brought to Rhodes by the holy Apostle Paul.

For many centuries, Rhodes was an important trading port in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Despite today's purely tourist interest, Rhodes was once a center of ancient painting, sculpture, poetry, philosophy, astronomy, physics and geography.