Palia Poli Rodou and the walls of medieval Rhodos
Published on 09/16/2026 at 12:36 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Palia Poli Rodou is the medieval old town of Rhodos, enclosed by fortifications that frame the historic core of the city. It is part of the Medieval City of Rhodes, a UNESCO World Heritage site inscribed in 1988.
Stone walls around a layered city
The first thing that stands out in Palia Poli Rodou is the wall itself. The medieval city sits within a circuit of fortifications that run for about 4 km (2.5 mi), with gates, towers and bastions marking the boundary between old streets and the newer city beyond. The medieval city was shaped by the Order of St John of Jerusalem, which occupied Rhodes from 1309 to 1523.
That long period of rule left a city plan built around defence, ceremony and everyday life. The high town to the north holds Gothic ensembles such as the Palace of the Grand Masters, the Great Hospital and the Street of the Knights, while the lower town combines Gothic fabric with mosques, public baths and later buildings from the Ottoman period. The high town and lower quarters are both part of the same enclosed district.
Knights, Ottomans and everyday streets
The street pattern gives Palia Poli Rodou its strongest historic texture. Narrow lanes, stone façades and sequence after sequence of gates and squares create a district that reads as a fortified town rather than a museum piece. The layer of the Knights Hospitaller remains visible in the upper quarter, where the city’s Gothic buildings form one of the most coherent urban groups from the period.
The Ottoman layer is equally present. Mosques, baths and houses sit within the same walls, and the district’s later history is visible in that overlap of Christian military architecture and Islamic urban life. Ottoman buildings stand beside Gothic structures rather than replacing them completely, which gives the old town its dense historical layering.
A UNESCO city within the harbour landscape
Palia Poli Rodou sits beside the harbour area of Rhodos, with the old walls forming a clear edge between the medieval district and the waterfront around it. The site is the historic centre of Rhodes town and belongs to the island of Rhodes in Greece.
The UNESCO listing reflects the city’s value as a fortified medieval settlement with later Ottoman additions. The inscription date, 1988, belongs to the Medieval City of Rhodes as a whole, and the old town remains the most compact way to encounter that layered heritage on foot. UNESCO World Heritage status gives the district a clear place in the cultural landscape of the Dodecanese.
Visiting Palia Poli Rodou: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Palia Poli Rodou lies in the historic centre of Rhodes town on the island of Rhodos. The fortifications and gates connect it with the harbour area and the surrounding city.
- The old town is enclosed by a long circuit of walls. Inside, expect cobbled lanes, stone buildings and some steep stretches near towers and major monuments.
- The official language is Greek and the currency is the euro.
- The district is linked to Mandraki harbour and the main urban waterfront, so it sits close to the city’s maritime edge.
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Frequently asked questions about Palia Poli Rodou
Where is Palia Poli Rodou?
Palia Poli Rodou is the medieval old town at the centre of Rhodes town, on the island of Rhodos in Greece. It is enclosed by walls and lies close to the harbour area.
What will a visit feel like?
The district presents a compact network of stone streets, gates and major monuments. The route through the old town moves between the high town and the lower quarters.
What makes Palia Poli Rodou distinctive?
Its defining feature is the combination of Knights Hospitaller architecture, Ottoman additions and medieval fortifications. The UNESCO listing in 1988 recognises that layered urban character.
