The Museum of Apiculture and of Natural History of the Bee is a new museum, founded in Rhodes by the Apiculture Association of the Dodecanese. It aims at informing its visitors and the public in general, about the nature, the products and the life of this precious insect that is the bee.

The Museum is unique and its establishment is owed to the concern of a group of people for the bee and the benefits it offers to the human being. At the museum, the visitor will get information about the history of bee-keeping, knowledge about the biology of the insect, about how the bee uses the pollen and how it makes the “royal jelly”, the honey and the wax.

An emphasis is given to the presentation of different kinds of honey and the special features of the Greek and Rhodian honey. In the museum there are also displayed the tools used in apiculture and in the production of honey. There is also information about the architecture of the hives and the visitor can see how the bee-keepers take the honey. Also, the visitor can watch the bees living and working within the hive, as the museum has hives of glass which permit to watch the whole process.

Within the area of the Valley of the Butterflies, there is also the Museum of Natural History, established by the local Municipality. The Museum is housed in a nicely restored and renovated Italian house of the 1930s’ and completes the tour of the valley with the part of information and education about the fauna and the flora of this excellent biotope.

The most important and interesting part of the museum is the hatchery, where a number of butterflies reproduce in a protected area, with stable climate conditions and ideal environment. Thus, the Museum not only does it give a museological view of the biotope, but it also contributes to informing the visitors on ecological topics, while at the same time is a good sample of eco-tourism, an alternative tourist development.

The Municipal Gallery of Rhodes is housed in a nice building situated at Symi square, just at the entrance of the medieval town. It has been established in 1962 by Andreas Ioannou, an eminent scholar of Modern Greek Painting, who was then prefect of the Prefecture of Dodecanese.

Today the Gallery has one of the most representative and authoritative collections of Greek Painting and Engraving of the 20th century. All the important Greek painters of the past century, who worked creatively during the last century and developed the features of modern Greek painting, are represented in the Gallery with at least one characteristic work. The majority of the painters presented were born after 1863.

Just as an example, one could mention some of them, known not only in Greece, but also in Europe: Maleas, Kontoglou, Parthenis, Theophilos , Hadjikyriakos-Ghikas, Vassiliou, Spyropoulos, Gaitis, Fassianos, Kessanlis, Chr. Botsoglou, Moralis, Tsarouchis, Diamantopoulos, Lytras, Gounaropoulos, Engonopoulos and many others, whose works have also been presented in exhibitions both in Greece and abroad. In fact, there are more than 150 painters and hundreds of works.

The Archaeological Museum of the town of Rhodes is situated within the medieval town and it is housed in the medieval building that used to be the Hospital of the Knights. The construction of this old building started in 1440, under the Grand Master De Lastic and was accomplished only some 50 years later, in 1489, by the Grand Master D’ Aubusson.

The Museum houses important archaeological finds coming from almost all the island; the most worth seeing exhibits are the following:

An amphora dated in the 6th century b.C. of Fikellura style, made in a Rhodian workshop. Both sides are depicted with a representation of an animal and fleurons decorate the space below the handles.

A kylix of Vroullian style, dated in the 6th century b.C., also coming from a Rhodian workshop.

According to the myths, the acropolis of ancient Lindos is the birth place of the cult of a pre-hellenic deity, which later on became Athena Lindia (Minerva). However, so far, the tradition has not been confirmed by archaeological evidence. Only sporadic finds have been brought to light from prehistoric times and from the Mycenaean period. In fact, the history of the sanctuary seems to begin in the Geometric period, during the 9 th century b.C. Later on, in the Archaic period, the cult was revived, thanks to Cleobulus, the tyrant of Lindos, who had constructed a big temple, probably on the place of an earlier one. This new temple had the same Doric tetrastyle amphiprostyle plan as the subsequent one. The temple of the Archaic period was destroyed by fire in 342 b.C. and on its place a new one was constructed, the temple that we see today, with propylaea and a monumental staircase. Later on, in the Hellenistic period a portico was added to the building. During all this period of time, Athena is worshipped in the acropolis, but in the 3rd century it had also been introduced the cult of Zeus Polieus. In the Roman period a priest of the temple, named Aghlohartos , planted olive trees on the spot and, according to an inscription, later on, in the 2nd century A.D. it was built the Sanctuary of Psithyros, close to the Temple of Athena.

The ancient city of Lindos was situated outside and around the Acropolis, which was found at the top of a hill, overlooking the area. The ruins of the ancient city are quite extended and reach the modern town of Lindos. The site is found at a distance of 46 kilometers southern to the town of Rhodes.

The most important monuments of the site are the following:

The theater: Situated at the southwestern side of the hill, the ancient theater is found below the Acropolis and the temple of Athena (Minerva). The cavea (“koilon”) of the theater and the circular orchestra are carved in the hillside rock. The theater had a capacity of more than 1.800 spectators; it had 26 rows of seats, divided by a large diazoma in two parts, the lower one of 19 rows and the upper one of 7 rows. The three first rows contained the honorary seats, reserved for officials, and they were separated from the staircases of the “koilon” by low walls. Imposing honorary seats for the most illustrious guests, (the so-called “proedriae”) were also situated around the orchestra. The theater had nine cunei, only five of them well preserved today.

The archaeological site of the ancient city of Kamiros, is situated at the Northwestern coast of the island, at a distance of 43 kilometers Southwestern to the town of Rhodes and one kilometer far from the coastal road and the coast of the cape of Aghios Minas, which in antiquity was called Mylantion cape. The site is found upon a hill, at the foot of mountain Akramytis.

In prehistoric times the place was a ritual place of the deities called Mylantioi, who according to tradition had taught people how to grind the wheat to make flour and how to make bread. Excavations at Kalavarda, a site some 3 kilometers eastern to Kameiros, have brought to light cemeteries of the Mycenaean period.

Several finds dated back to the Geometric times have been found at the acropolis of the site and evidence that a temple dedicated to Athena (Minerva) was built here by the Dorian dominants of the island. Unfortunately, several successive earthquakes had destroyed most the monuments. The strong earthquake of 226 b.C. resulted in the total collapse of the city of the Classical period and the temple of Athena Kameiras. After the earthquake the city was rebuilt on three levels, according to the Hippodamian system. At the top of the hill is situated the Acropolis with the Temple of Athena and the Stoa. The settlement had been built on the second terrace, whereas at the lower level there were found the Hellenistic temple, the Doric Fountain-house, the Agora and the Peribolos of the Altars. A great number of votive offerings, as stelai and plinths with statues of gods and heroes embellished the site, which was destroyed anew by an earthquake in 142 b.C.

Ialyssia, the region where it was situated the ancient city of Ialyssos, is in fact all the northern part of the island. Remains of a Minoan settlement have been found close to the village of Trianda, while Mycenaean cemeteries, dated in 1700-1400 b.C., have been detected on the hills of Makria and Moschou Vounara, around the settlement. Thus, the archaeological finds, most of them displayed in the Archaeological Museum of the town of Rhodes, evidence that the area was inhabited as early as in the beginning of the 2nd millennium b.C.

The Doric period of ancient Ialyssos is represented by the finds of the site around the hill called Filerimos, where it was located the acropolis of the ancient city.

One of the most important monuments of the archaeological site is the temple of Athena Polias. It is an amphiprostyle, tetrastyle or hexastyle temple (with a portico of four or six columns at either end) with a pronaos, nave and opisthodomos. The base of the cult statue is still preserved within the nave. In the interior of the nave, there are column fulcrums of small diameter and walls, which possibly belonged to an interior colonnade, dated to the 3rd or 2nd centuries b.C. Conch-like cuttings on the rock at the west side of the temple may have been used as depositories for ritual purposes or for votive offerings.

The acropolis of the ancient town of Rhodes was not established at a fortified site; on the contrary, it was rather a zone of monuments: nice temples, great sanctuaries, important public buildings and underground ritual places. It dominated the whole town as it was built at the west, on the hill of Aghios Stephanos, or Monte Smith, as the locals call it. The majority of the buildings where constructed in tiers and were supported by strong retaining walls. Most of the monuments surviving today are dated in the Hellenistic period and the natural environment goes very well along with human constructions.

Large scale excavations at the site were carried out by Italian archaeologists, during the Italian domination of the island (1912-1943). After the island was incorporated to the Greek territory, at the end of World War II, excavations continued and brought to light plenty of finds that enriched our knowledge about the place and its use. Up to now the site has not been totally excavated. The Archaeological Service of Greed has previewed to carry out excavations in future to an extent more than one square kilometre.

The building of the Post Office of the town of Rhodes was built in mid 1920s’, during the first years of the Italian domination, on the purpose to house the Italian Post Services of Rhodes (Palazzo delle Poste). The building was designed by the Italian architect Florestano This excellent building, situated at Eleftherias (“Liberty”) Square, in front of Mandraki, is a representative sample of the Renaissance Eclecticism and the "Finta Pietra" technology. It is a two-storey building, with a basement. The decoration motifs of the façade have been made of local porous stone. The visitor of the building enters through an imposing main entrance found at the center of the building, which along with the openings left on each side, creates an absolutely symmetrical impression.

The Hospice of Aghia Aikaterini, situated within the medieval town of Rhodes, was built in 1391-1392 under grand master Heredia, by the Italian Domenico d'Allemagna, admiral of the Order of the Knights of St. John (Knights Hospitaller), an eminent and rich member of the local aristocracy of the period. The contract of the foundation of the hospice, dated in 1391, states that the building is located “within the burgus of Rhodes, near the walls at the gate leading to the mole”. Later on, in 1465 another document refers to it as the “Gate of Aghia Aikaterini”.

The building is very impressive and holds a central place along the axis of the square that gathers all the commercial activities of the town. The building had been constructed to house the official and eminent guests of the Knights during their staying in Rhodes, as we are informed by the Italian traveler Niccole de Martoni, who visited the island in 1395; he also adds that it is «beautiful and splendid, with many nice rooms and good beds». During the siege of the town by the Ottomans in 1480 and the earthquake that followed in 1481, the building suffered extensive destruction. It was rebuilt, a process that lasted up to 1516, when Grand Master was Costanzo Operti, as it is evidenced by the walled-in blazons, preserved up to now.

The Hotel of the Roses (“Hotel des Roses”), constructed during the period of the Italian domination within the town of Rhodes, is an impressive building with several interesting architectural features and of great architectural value. On first sight, it looks huge, but its volume is broken up into smaller units, somehow irregular, which makes the whole construction lighter and more interesting. Designed in a simple form, it has a nice façade with an arcade and a beautiful garden. All these features make it one of the most characteristic places of the town of Rhodes.

The building underwent two architectural phases. When constructed, in early 1920s’, the Italian architect Michele Petracco who designed it, followed the style of Oriental Eclecticism, incorporating in the building several features of the oriental cultures that had influenced the culture of the island of Rhodes. Thus, the building was full of arcs, domes and other architectural elements, common in the oriental style buildings. Later on, during the period of fascism in Italy, at the mid 1930s’, the ideas of fascism were also adopted in Architecture, introducing the so-called “fascist style”. Thus, the building underwent several changes in order to be consistent with the new style. It was then that the oriental features were removed or diminished and the building took its actual form. After the end of the Italian domination, the building had been abandoned for many years, but today it has been renovated and houses the Casino of Rhodes, while it also operates again as a Hotel.

The building, where “Aktaion”, the well known pastry shop of the town of Rhodes, is lodged, has been built in 1925, in the early years of the Italian domination. It is a two-storey building with a small attic at the second floor. The ground floor has a nice arcade facing the road by the sea, with pointed groin-vaults. The whole building is constructed according to the isodomic masonry, a typical feature of the local architecture. It is a building very nicely designed, combining function with aesthetic value and in harmony to all kinds of use which it intended to realise.

At the beginning, the building was decorated with several features, combining both oriental and gothic elements. But, from 1936 onwards, following the commands of the Italian fascist government, all the decorative elements were removed, to be consistent with the official architectural style of the state, that is to say, the so-called “fascist style”. In this period of time the building was called “Circolo Italia” (“the Italian circle”) and was used as a place of meeting and entertainment of the Italian military officers of the island.

The National Theater of Rhodes is situated at the central, Town Hall square of the town of Rhodes and is an impressive sample of the so-called “fascist” architectural style, with influence of the so-called “international style.” It is perhaps the most important sample in Greece of the use “cannabic technology” (finta pietra), and of glass bricks. The performance hall is imposing, both in height and in size. There is also a huge balcony, luxurious theater boxes and a very nice foyer.

Strolling around in the Medieval Town means to experience history. You will learn a lot, within an environment offering full facilities to the tourist, while at the same time it maintains the atmosphere of the past. The town took the form we know today during the period of the domination of Rhodes by the Knights of the Order of St. John, which lasted from the beginning of the 14th century up to 1522 when Rhodes was conquered by the Ottomans.

The most important monument of the town is the Palace of the Grand Master, the governor of the town and of the island during the medieval times. The palace had been built as early as the 7th century, during the Byzantine period and served as the acropolis of the Byzantine castle. The building is found at the end of Odos Ippoton (Ippoton Street), opposite to the church of Aghios Ioannis (St. John).

During the period of the Knights, the palace was restored and several new buildings were added, in order to cover the services necessary for an administrative building and the residence of the Grand Master. It survived the siege of the Ottomans in 1522 thanks to its perfect construction, but it was destroyed when the neighboring church of Aghios Ioannis suffered an explosion. The Italians restored it in 1940, trying to keep its initial form. A few decades ago, the Greek State carried out extended restoration works, in order to make the place suitable to host the Meeting of the Council of the European Union. Nowadays it houses artistic exhibitions and various cultural events.

The Valley of the butterflies is found close to the village of Theologos, at a distance of 23 kilometers southeastern to the town of Rhodes, near the Monastery of Kalopetra. The river Pelekanos flows through the valley. According to tradition, the whole valley was called “Pelekanos” after the name of a servant of the prince Alexandros Ypsilantis. The daughter of the prince suffered of tuberculosis and his father brought her in the area, so that she would recover due to the nice climate. It was him that established the Monastery of Kalopetra. The prince left back his servant, called Pelekanos, to serve and guard the girl. The girl fell in love with the servant, but his father refused to allow her daughter to marry a servant. Thus, the latter, deeply embittered, took his own life and the place was named after him.

The locals say that the butterflies were brought in the area by the Italians in the 1930s’, but in fact, the Italians had only discovered them. The elder people of the area state that their ancestors knew that the butterflies lived in the place. Whatever the truth, the phenomenon became widely known after 1957 and ever since great numbers of visitors come to the valley to see them. Unfortunately, these visits have resulted to a dramatic reduction of the number of the insects, since the visitors make noise, clap hands or whistle in order to make them fly. But , when they fly , the butterflies loose their energy and become more susceptible to die before propagate themselves.

The Aquarium of the town of Rhodes or Hydrobiological Station of Rhodes is situated at the very northern edge of the town of Rhodes and of the island, very close to Mandraki. It was constructed during the Italian domination of the island, in the years 1934-1936. From 1937 it was called «Reale Instituto di Ricerche Biologiche di Rodi», that is to say “Royal Research Institute of (Marine) Biology of Rhodes”. After the incorporation of the Dodecanese to the Greek State, it was renamed in “Hellenic Hydrobiological Institute” and operated under the supervision of the Academy of Athens. Today it is operating as Aquarium, Museum and Research Center and belongs to the National Center of Marine Research.

The principal aim of the Center is the maintenance and display of embalmed and alive sea life of the Mediterranean Sea. It receives more than 200.000 visitors annually, who come here to see numerous nice and rare species of sea life. Apart from that, the Center operates as a model research unit for the marine space of the Dodecanese and carries out extensive research in all domains of Oceanography.

The marine at the port of the ancient city of Rhodes, actually known to every body as Mandraki , has a muddy seabed of a depth of 4 to 8 meters . It is used for mooring of yachts and boats and has a capacity of berthing up to 120 to 150 vessels. Well protected from all winds, it offers excellent service, for water and fuel supply, as well as food provisions and electric power. You will also find a repair station and lavatories. Additionally, the place is a center of purchase and selling of boats and yachts.

Skippers should know that the geographic coordinates of the Marine are 36ο 27΄ N και 28ο 13΄ E. It is an ideal choice for people arriving to the island by yacht, or for those who plan to do so. As it is the old port of the town, it is very close to the medieval town. Moreover, Mandraki is the most cosmopolitan place in the town of Rhodes. It is the meeting point of everybody and it is usually rather crowded: pedestrians walking along the dock, excursion boats and tourist boats for short excursions, fishing boats, big yachts and a real fleet of sailing boats. 

As the facilities offered make it very popular, the Marine at Mandraki gets insufficient for the needs. Thus, it has already started the construction of a new, bigger Marine, of higher capacity. As it is planned, when completed, it will be the main marine of the town of Rhodes and the one of Mandraki will operate only as a supplementary one.