Medieval Walls and Moat

The Medieval Walls and Moat encircle the Old Town of Rhodes, in the South Aegean region of Greece, and form one of the best-preserved fortification systems of the Middle Ages in Europe. The Knights of St John built and expanded the walls from 1309, and in the 15th and early 16th centuries they were modernised with thick bastions, towers and gates to resist artillery, which helped the Knights withstand the Ottoman siege of 1480 before the city fell in 1522. The circuit runs for roughly four kilometres, with a deep dry moat running along the land side. Visitors can walk through the moat at ground level, which is free and gives a close view of the ramparts, gates and bastions rising on one side, and often a quiet, grassy corridor. Notable gates include the Gate of Amboise, built in 1512 under Grand Master Emery d'Amboise, with its twin round towers and a bridge over the moat, as well as the Gate of St Catherine, the Gate of St Paul and the Marine Gate. Guided rampart tours, ticketed at about 6 EUR for adults, run on set days and allow access to the walls themselves, where visitors can look down over the town and out to sea. A walk through the moat and a look at the gates takes about an hour. The moat is often used for events and concerts in summer, which may restrict access. Mornings are cooler and quieter, and late afternoon gives warm light on the stone. Paths in the moat can be uneven or rough, and there is little shade. Visitors should check odysseus.culture.gov.gr for current rampart tour days, since schedules vary by season.