Bastion of St. John

Information

The walls, ramparts, towers and bastions of the moat surrounding the medieval city, constructed during the Medieval era by the knights of St John, intact during the ottoman period, restored recently by the Hellenic ministry of culture, are accessible to visitors. The length, the width and the height of the fortifications are impressive and the views are breath-taking.
The moat has always been a dry place for the enemies to be trapped inside and killed by the defenders of the city, fighting from the inner wall. Grand Master Zacosta in 1465 divided the city’s fortifications into wall sections, assigned to the tongues of the Knights, those of Germany, Auvergne, Spain, England, Provence, Italy, Castile and France, to be defended by them in the event of a siege. These sections underwent the first ottoman siege of 1480 -victorious for the knights and the city – and the second fatal one of 1522.
The moat provides a beautiful park to the inhabitants and the visitors of Rhodes as well as a cultural spot, including the “Melina Merkouri” open theatre under the Bastion of D’Aubusson in the south and the “Sound and Light” open theatre under the tower of Pagnac in the north end.