Fortress and residence of the Grand Masters, restored under Italian rule.
The Palace of the Grand Master stands on Ippoton Street at the highest point of the Collachium in the Old Town of Rhodes, Greece. The Knights Hospitaller built it in the 14th century on the foundations of a Byzantine fortress, which in turn is believed to occupy the site of an ancient temple of Helios. It served as the residence and administrative centre of the Grand Masters until the Ottoman conquest of 1522. The Ottomans used it as a fortress and prison. In 1856 a lightning strike ignited gunpowder stored in the nearby Church of St John and the explosion largely wrecked the building. During the Italian occupation, between 1937 and 1940, it was almost entirely rebuilt as a summer residence for King Victor Emmanuel III and Mussolini, with a design that is more Italian-medieval pastiche than a faithful copy of the original. Today it is a museum, and the interior is arranged across two main floors around a large courtyard. The ground floor hosts the exhibition on the ancient city of Rhodes from the 3rd century BC to the 4th century AD, while the upper floors present the medieval history of the island. The most striking features are the Italian-era rooms, with floor mosaics brought from Kos and other Dodecanese islands, including Hellenistic and Roman examples, plus period furniture. The building has a monumental entrance flanked by two semicircular towers, a defensive walled enclosure, and a courtyard with statues, arcades and decorative stonework. The mosaics include scenes of Medusa, Muses and geometric designs, and the floors are among the main reasons visitors tour the interior. Architecturally the palace combines Gothic militarism with Italian restoration decisions. It is managed by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture through the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Dodecanese. The preservation is good, but because so much of the structure dates from 1937-40, historians treat the interior as a twentieth-century reconstruction on medieval footprints. A visit usually takes about an hour to ninety minutes, and the exhibition panels are in Greek and English.
| Admission | 10 EUR (11.5 USD) (about) |
|---|---|
| Hours | Summer about 08:00-20:00; winter about 08:30-15:30 |
| Address | Ippoton Street, Old Town, 851 00 Rhodes, Greece |
Why it matters
The palace was the seat of the Knights Hospitaller's Grand Masters from 1309 to 1522 and the command centre of their island state. Its Italian-era reconstruction in the 1930s also illustrates how Fascist Italy used the Dodecanese for political prestige.
Location
Ippoton Street, Old Town, 851 00 Rhodes, Greece
36.4478, 28.2273 View on map
Highlights
- Walk through the monumental entrance and twin round towers
- See the Hellenistic and Roman floor mosaics from Kos
- Tour the exhibition on ancient Rhodes on the ground floor
- Look out from the courtyard across the Collachium
Tips for visiting
- Visit at opening time to see the rooms before tour groups arrive
- Admission is around 10 EUR; check current prices and free-entry days locally
- Pair the visit with the Street of the Knights, which starts just downhill
- Allow at least an hour for the interior and courtyard
When to visit
Early morning in summer is quieter and cooler. Spring and autumn are comfortable all day.
Accessibility
Staircases connect the floors and the approach is cobbled, so mobility access is limited. Some ground-floor areas are easier to reach than the upper rooms.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Palace of the Grand Master original medieval construction?
Only partly. The foundations and some structure are Knights-era, but the building was largely rebuilt by the Italians between 1937 and 1940 after the 1856 explosion.
How long does a visit take?
Most visitors spend about an hour to ninety minutes inside the museum.
Is the site suitable for children?
Yes, the courtyard, towers and mosaics suit most ages, though there are stairs and uneven surfaces to manage with small children.