The Greek Islands had already become a favourite holiday destination for me when in 1996 I was made redundant and found myself with time on my hands and sufficent money in the bank to spend part of the summer travelling around the Aegean Sea. I sold my car and booked a flight on British airways to Athens Airport and thence to Pireaus ferry port.

Thursday, 15 April 2010

Rhodes Old Town

The old town of Rhodes is a fascinating place with more history than you can take in during a short visit. Wandering through its narrow streets you will come across reminders of the Knights Hospitaler of St John, derelict Turkish mosques and twentieth century Italian architecture.


Of course it is famed as the site of the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  The huge, 30 metre tall statue of the sun god Helios stood for ony 56 years,being destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BC, it has traditionally been portrayed stradling the entrance to the Mandraki harbour. However this a myth resulting from fanciful travellers' tales of the middle ages, its actual location is not known for certain and according to at least one achaeologist may have been some distance fron Rhodes Town on a hill now known as Monte Smith.

Wikipedia article - Colossus of Rhodes.

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