Palia Poli Rodou and the layered medieval city of Rhodos
Published on 08/29/2026 at 15:20 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Palia Poli Rodou is the medieval old town of Rhodos, enclosed by stone walls and shaped by the long presence of the Order of St John. Its Upper Town, Street of the Knights and Palace of the Grand Masters give the place a clear Gothic core, while the Lower Town adds Ottoman-era mosques, baths and housesUpper Town.
Stone walls, streets and a Gothic centre
The most immediate feature of Palia Poli Rodou is its enclosing wall, which defines the old town as a fortified city rather than a loose historic quarter. Within that circuit, the Street of the Knights forms the best-known axis, lined with the former inns of the Knights Hospitaller and leading towards the palaceStreet of the Knights.
The Palace of the Grand Masters crowns the high town and gives the medieval ensemble its strongest landmark. The palace belongs to the thirteenth- to sixteenth-century history of the Hospitaller occupation, and it remains the most recognisable building in the fortified corePalace of the Grand Masters.
Hospitaller, Ottoman and Italian layers
Palia Poli Rodou is not only a medieval military town. Its fabric also includes later Islamic and Italian phases, so the streets move between Gothic stonework, mosque architecture and newer civic buildings without losing the sense of a single urban wholelater Islamic.
The UNESCO inscription of the Medieval City of Rhodes recognises that mixture as part of the place’s identity. The old town stands as a compact record of occupation, adaptation and continued urban life inside a fixed defensive frameMedieval City of Rhodes.
How the old town is experienced on foot
Walking is the natural way through Palia Poli Rodou. The streets are narrow, the paving is uneven in places, and the walls, gates and courtyards create a sequence of enclosed spaces rather than broad modern avenues.
The lower town adds a denser urban layer, with religious and domestic buildings clustered close together. That contrast between the airy line of the fortifications and the tighter street pattern inside gives the place its most legible rhythm.
Visiting Palia Poli Rodou: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The old town lies in Rhodos town on the island of Rhodes, within the medieval walls. It is reached on foot through the gates, and the historic core is largely pedestrian in feel.
- Stone paving, narrow lanes and stepped changes in level define much of the route through the old town. Comfortable shoes matter more here than any elaborate sightseeing plan.
- The official language is Greek and the currency is the euro.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Palia Poli Rodou
Where is Palia Poli Rodou?
Palia Poli Rodou is the medieval old town of Rhodos, on Rhodes in Greece. It is the fortified core within the city’s walls.
What does a visit involve?
A visit means walking through gates, lanes and squares inside a walled historic centre. The streets are compact and many surfaces are paved in stone.
What makes Palia Poli Rodou distinctive?
Its main distinction is the combination of Hospitaller fortifications, Gothic streetscape and later Ottoman layers. The Palace of the Grand Masters and the Street of the Knights give the place its strongest historical outline.
