Bastion of Agios Georgios #1165

Description

The castle took on its current form primarily during the period when the Knights of the Order of Saint John occupied the island, from 1309 to 1522. It was also the site of two major sieges in world history, one in 305 BC and another in 1522.

Due to its strategic position as a gateway to the Aegean Sea, Rhodes has always held a vital role on the trade routes between East and West, and its well-protected harbors made it an important stopover. During the Hellenistic period, in the late 4th century BC, Rhodes was already enclosed by defensive walls, which allowed it to withstand the siege by Demetrius Poliorketes, king of Macedonia, in 305 BC. To celebrate their victory over Demetrius, the Rhodians built the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

In the 3rd century BC, Philo of Byzantium, author of the treatise Paraskeuastica on fortifications, visited Rhodes and praised the city’s walls. Although the Rhodes earthquake of 226 BC caused severe damage to the fortifications, they were soon rebuilt. Later, the Byzantines added a fortress on the highest point of the town.