Palace of the Grand Master hosts jazz on 22 October
Published on 09/27/2026 at 12:53 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
The Palace of the Grand Master and the Rhodes & South Aegean International Jazz Festival will meet in Rhodes on 22 October 2026, when the festival opens inside the Medieval City. The wider programme runs until 25 October and brings concerts, workshops and academic activity to several historic venues.
Jazz Across the Water opens at the palace on 22 October
The festival, presented under the artistic direction of Dimitrios Vasilakis, is scheduled from 22 to 25 October 2026. The official Greek tourism listing confirms that admission is free and names the Palace of the Grand Master as the venue within Rhodes Medieval City.
The opening-night programme on 22 October begins with Sonny & Trane Tribute, titled Fathers & Sons - Two Generations in Jazz, followed by the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Jazz Faculty Ensemble. The listed start times are 8pm and 9pm. Later concerts move to the Church of the Virgin of the Burgh, so the palace is specifically the setting for the festival opening rather than the venue for every programme date. The official festival programme also lists performers from the United States, Puerto Rico, Greece, Slovakia, Cyprus, Turkey, Albania, Austria and Cuba.
The medieval monument frames the festival opening
The palace is described by Greece's Directorate of Archaeological Museums as the administrative centre of the Order of the Knights of Saint John. It is part of the Medieval City of Rhodes, placing the opening concert inside the historic urban complex rather than in a contemporary concert hall.
The building was restored during the Italian occupation in the 1930s. Its first floor contains mosaic floors from monuments on Rhodes and a collection of medieval furniture, while the ground floor presents permanent exhibitions on the history of the city. The archaeological museum listing identifies the site as a major monument of Rhodes and gives its address on Ippoton Street.
The festival's opening-night pairing therefore links contemporary jazz with rooms and collections that document the island's medieval and later history. The contrast is practical as well as cultural: visitors attending the 22 October concert should distinguish the palace event from the festival's later concerts at the Church of the Virgin of the Burgh.
Visiting Palace of the Grand Master: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The festival runs from 22 to 25 October 2026. The Palace of the Grand Master hosts the opening concerts on 22 October, at 8pm and 9pm.
- Admission to the festival is free. The published programme places the later concerts at the Church of the Virgin of the Burgh, so access arrangements differ by date and venue.
- The palace stands on Ippoton Street in the Medieval City of Rhodes, Rhodes 85100. The official museum listing identifies the Directorate of Archaeological Museums and the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Dodecanese as contacts for the monument.
- The site has a ramp, lift, accessible toilet and Braille signs, according to the archaeological museum listing. These facilities are part of the monument's visitor services, not a description of the concert layout.
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Frequently asked questions about Palace of the Grand Master
When does the Rhodes & South Aegean International Jazz Festival take place at the Palace of the Grand Master?
The festival runs from 22 to 25 October 2026. The palace hosts the opening concerts on 22 October.
What is the Palace of the Grand Master?
It is a major monument of medieval Rhodes and the former administrative centre of the Order of the Knights of Saint John. The building contains mosaic floors, medieval furniture and permanent historical exhibitions.
Where is the Palace of the Grand Master and how do you get there?
The palace is on Ippoton Street in the Medieval City of Rhodes, Rhodes 85100. The official museum listing identifies the site within the historic city and records ramp and lift access.
