Friday, January 13, 2012

Fortress of Saint Nicholas - An Attraction in Old Town, Rhodes

By Frank Jaeger


Rhodes Island located seven miles away from the Turkish coast is a popular Greek Island known for its beauty. It offers a great climate, beautiful beaches and many interesting archaeological sites. It was the ancient home of many civilizations that left their marks in the form of structures and buildings so when you come to Rhodes you can discover and learn about the great rulers like the Knights of St. John. Rhodes old town on Rhodes Island, which now happens to be a part of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, attracts tourists and visitors from all around the world. You can find the Fortress of Saint Nicholas in the Rhodes, Old Town, near the famous Rhodes Old Town Hotels

Location:

On the entrance to Mandraki harbour, there are statues of deer. There are three old windmills in the centre of the harbour whilst the famous Fortress of St Nicholas can be found on its northern side.

History of the Fortress:

In ancient times the Mandraki harbour was the military harbour of rhodes island. On order of the Grand Master Raimondo Zacosta, a guard tower for the central harbour of the old town was constructed in year 1464-67. The tower was built at a natural dockside where many windmills are located.

After the first military blockade of Rhodes this guard tower was upgraded to a small fortress. A bastion was constructed around the tower by Grand Master d'Aubusson turning it into a small fortress. The fortress got its name from the small chapel located inside it.

Historical Significance:

In order to make the security of the Rhodes Island effective and better, the fort was constructed. The Turkish attacks on the island from time to time were made ineffective by the fortress. Saint Nicholas Fort of 15th century, found on waterfront of Mandraki harbour played a key role in defence and guard of Rhodes against the foreign attacks. In the sieges 1480 and 1522-23 the fortess played a key role in the defence of Rodos.

Fortress of Saint Nicholas; Today:

At present, the Fort of Saint Nicholas is a well conserved and looked-after medieval structure. It serves as a great attraction for tourists that come from different parts of the world. The moat that was constructed in Saint Nicholas Fortress is now replaced by a trail and trees. There is also a Greek flag that flies high above the tallest parapet of the fort.

Some parts of the fort have fallen while the rest are intact. Within the fortress, there is a well built archway that leads to the beach and the docks from the old town. The main street of the fort goes ahead in the direction of the old town through the walls of the fort. The impressive structure is a very common subject for photography as well as for different documentaries on Rhodes Island.

If you want to have a great vacation experience on Rhodes Island then do not forget to plan a tour to Rhodes old town and its different historical sites. The old town of Rhodes is one of the most interesting places on the Island.




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