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Main Gate>
THE KNIGHTS OF THE ORDER
This imposing entrance, built
Men were drawn from noble by the Knights, has twin
horseshoe-shaped towers
Roman Catholic families all over
with swallowtail turrets. The
Europe to join the Order of the coat of arms is that of Grand
Knights of StJohn; however, there Master del Villeneuve, who TURKEY
were never more than 600 knights ruled from 1319-4 6.
•Athens
at any one time. Those who "
entered the order swore vows of
chastity, obedience, and poverty. PA:L~(E OF THE"¢
GRAND MASTERS,
RHODES
MEIJITERRAI'>IEAI'>I
SEA
THE FIRST GRAND MASTER MOSAIC FLOORS AND STATUES FROM KOS
During the restoration of the palace, beautiful
Foulkes de Villaret ( 1305-19),
a Fren<h knight, was the first Hellenistic, Roman, and Early Christian mosaics
Grand Master. He negotiated to were taken from buildings on the nearby island
buy Rhodes from the Lord of the of Kos and used to rebuild the palace's floors,
Dodeca nese, Admiral Vig no I o
de Vignoli, in 1306. This left including those of the Chamber with
the Knights with the task of Colonnades and the Medusa Chamber. The
conquering the island's in- magnificent statues displayed in the Central
habitants. The Knights of Courtyard were also brought in from Kos; they
Rhodes, as they became
known, remained here date from the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
until their expulsion in
1522. The Villaret name THE KNIGHTS OF RHODES
lives on in Viii are, one of Founded in the 11th century by merchants from
the island's white wines.
Am alfi, the Order of Knights H ospitall ers of S t
Foulkes de Villaret John guarded the Holy Sepulcher and defended
Christian pi I grim s in Jerusalem. They became a
military order after the First Crusade (1096-9),
Central Courtyard>
Hellenistic statues taken but took refuge in Cyprus in 12 91 when
from the Odeion in Kos line
Jerusalem fell to the Muslim Mamelukes. They
the Central Courtyard. Its
north side is paved wi Ill then bought Rhodes from the Genoese and
geometric marble tiles. conquered the Rhodi ans in 1309. A Grand
Master was elected for life to govern the order,
The Knights Street
(Odhos lppoton) > which was divided into seven Tongues, or
This cobbled medieval nationalities France, Italy, England, Germany,
street leads to the palace. Spain, Provence, and Auvergne. Each Tongue
Along its length are the
most important public and protected an area of the city wall known as a
private buildings erected Curtain. The Knights built some fine examples
by the Knights. of medieval military architecture, including
30 castles in Greece's Dodecanese islands.

EXHIBITIONS
The Ancient Rhodes exhibition is situated
off the Central Courtyard in the north wing of
the palace. Its marvelous collection is a result of
45 years of archeological investigation on the
island, and includes vases and figurines-dating
from the prehistoric period up to the founding
of the city in 408/7 BC -excavated from the
Minoan site at Trianda. Also on display are
jewelry, pottery, and grave stelae from the
tombs of Kamiros, Lindos, and lalysos, which
date from the 8th and 9th centuries BC.In the
KEY DATES south and west wings is the splendid Medieval
BOOs 1856 1937-40 1988 Rhodes exhibition. Covering the 4th century
AD to the city's conquest by the Ottoman Turks
The Palace of the The palace is The building is The Medieval C~y of
Grand Masters is accidentally restored by ltalsn Rhodes, including the in 1 52 2, the displays here provide an insight
constructed by the demolished by architect Vittorio Palace of the Grand into trade and everyday I ife in Rhodes in
Knights of Rhodes. a gunpowder Mesturino. Masters, is inscribed Byzantine and medieval times, with Byzantine
explosion. as a UNESCO World
icons, Italian and Spanish ceramics, armor, and
Heritage Site.
A laowon Chamber military memorabilia on view