The Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes, also known as the Castello, is a medieval castle in the city of Rhodes, on the island of Rhodes in Greece. It is one of the few examples of Gothic architecture in Greece. It was formerly a citadel of the Knights Hospitaller, which functioned as a palace, headquarters, and fortress.
According to recent research, the site where the palace stands today is the site of the foundations of an ancient temple to the sun god Helios, and is likely the site where the Colossus of Rhodes stood in antiquity. The palace was originally built in the late 7th century as a Byzantine citadel. After the Knights Hospitaller occupied Rhodes and some other Greek islands (such as Kalymnos and Kastellorizo) in 1309, they converted the fortress into their administrative center and the palace of their Grand Master. In the first quarter of the 14th century, the palace was renovated and a number of major modifications were made. The palace was damaged in the earthquake of 1481 and was soon repaired.
After the capture of the island by the Ottoman Empire in 1522, the palace was used as a command center and fortress.
In 1856, a gunpowder store under the nearby Church of St. John, which may have been stored there since the siege of 1522, was struck by lightning, causing a massive explosion that killed many people, destroyed the church, and much of the Grand Master's Palace. Most of the upper floors collapsed, but the rooms on the ground floor survived.
During the Italian rule of Rhodes, the Ottoman-era buildings of the former palace were demolished, and the authorities asked the architect Vittorio Mesturino, a recognized expert in medieval architecture and historical preservation, to design the reconstruction of the palace, as well as the nearby Street of the Knights of Rhodes. Despite the lack of remains or documentation from the pre-Ottoman era, Mesturino decided to recreate a structure that also met the needs of the Italian authorities for a functional government building that would benefit from the aura of the Hospitaller heritage. Construction work took place between 1937 and 1940. Mesturino's work was criticized for shortcomings such as a lack of historical accuracy and unnecessary changes to the authentic remains of the castle, even being described by one scholar as "in terrible fascist taste". The castle became a vacation residence for King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, and later for the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, whose name can still be seen on a large plaque at the entrance.
On 10 February 1947, the peace treaty with Italy, one of the Paris Peace Treaties, stipulated that the newly formed Italian Republic would cede the Dodecanese islands to Greece. In 1948, Rhodes and the rest of the Dodecanese were transferred to Greek rule. The palace was then converted into a museum, and today it is visited by millions of tourists visiting Rhodes. Several rooms on the second floor are decorated with 3rd-century mosaics brought from the island of Kos.
In the garden of the Palace of the Grand Masters, several ancient sculptures, both bronze and marble, are exhibited. Also here are the sarcophagi of the Grand Masters, and the remains of the ancient palace, its columns, porticoes, and other architectural elements are concentrated.
According to recent research, the site where the palace stands today is the site of the foundations of an ancient temple to the sun god Helios, and is likely the site where the Colossus of Rhodes stood in antiquity. The palace was originally built in the late 7th century as a Byzantine citadel. After the Knights Hospitaller occupied Rhodes and some other Greek islands (such as Kalymnos and Kastellorizo) in 1309, they converted the fortress into their administrative center and the palace of their Grand Master. In the first quarter of the 14th century, the palace was renovated and a number of major modifications were made. The palace was damaged in the earthquake of 1481 and was soon repaired.
After the capture of the island by the Ottoman Empire in 1522, the palace was used as a command center and fortress.
In 1856, a gunpowder store under the nearby Church of St. John, which may have been stored there since the siege of 1522, was struck by lightning, causing a massive explosion that killed many people, destroyed the church, and much of the Grand Master's Palace. Most of the upper floors collapsed, but the rooms on the ground floor survived.
During the Italian rule of Rhodes, the Ottoman-era buildings of the former palace were demolished, and the authorities asked the architect Vittorio Mesturino, a recognized expert in medieval architecture and historical preservation, to design the reconstruction of the palace, as well as the nearby Street of the Knights of Rhodes. Despite the lack of remains or documentation from the pre-Ottoman era, Mesturino decided to recreate a structure that also met the needs of the Italian authorities for a functional government building that would benefit from the aura of the Hospitaller heritage. Construction work took place between 1937 and 1940. Mesturino's work was criticized for shortcomings such as a lack of historical accuracy and unnecessary changes to the authentic remains of the castle, even being described by one scholar as "in terrible fascist taste". The castle became a vacation residence for King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, and later for the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, whose name can still be seen on a large plaque at the entrance.
On 10 February 1947, the peace treaty with Italy, one of the Paris Peace Treaties, stipulated that the newly formed Italian Republic would cede the Dodecanese islands to Greece. In 1948, Rhodes and the rest of the Dodecanese were transferred to Greek rule. The palace was then converted into a museum, and today it is visited by millions of tourists visiting Rhodes. Several rooms on the second floor are decorated with 3rd-century mosaics brought from the island of Kos.
In the garden of the Palace of the Grand Masters, several ancient sculptures, both bronze and marble, are exhibited. Also here are the sarcophagi of the Grand Masters, and the remains of the ancient palace, its columns, porticoes, and other architectural elements are concentrated.
Translated automatically from Ukrainian. View original
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