Grandmasters Palace

The Knights Hospitaller of St John resided in the Grandmasters Palace of Rhodes. The Grandmasters Palace, which dates from the fourteenth century (about 1309), served as the headquarters of this prominent Christian and military order until Rhodes was seized by the Ottomans in 1522. This is one of the most beautiful historical sites in Greece.

The palace was repaired by the Italians who inhabited the Dodecanese islands at the time, during the turn of the twentieth century. During the 1930s, considerable repair work was completed. It was used as a vacation home for King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy and Benito Mussolini in the years that followed.

The Grandmasters Palace now functions as a museum and exhibition space. Two permanent displays of the ancient and medieval city of Rhodes are located on the ground floor, while the reconstructed majestic rooms of the Palace, as well as the outstanding floor mosaics, are located on the upper floor. The mosaics date from the late Hellenistic period and were originally from Kos before being brought to the site during the Italian restoration.

Location: Rhodes