The beautiful Rhodes Island lies at a distance of seven miles from the coast of Turkey and is known world over for its astounding beauty among other Greek islands. It offers a great climate, beautiful beaches and many interesting archaeological sites. The Island provides the visitors an opportunity to explore the history of many empires and civilization such as the “Knights of St. John” who played a key role in Crusades.
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. The Fortress of Saint Nicholas is found in the Rhodes Old Town.

Location:

On the entrance to Mandraki harbour, there are statues of deer. At the harbour, three old windmills are found in the centre while the ancient St Nicholas Fortress stands on its north side.

History of the Fortress:

The Mandraki harbour was a military harbour in ancient times. At the central harbour of old town, a tower was built to defend it on the order of Grand Master Raimondo Zacosta. The tower was built at a natural dockside where many windmills are located.

This protective tower was later turned into a small fortress after the first siege of Rhodes. 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:

Fortress of Saint Nicholas was built as an effective defence measure for the Rhodes Island against its attackers. The Turkish attacks on the island from time to time were made ineffective by the fortress.
The Fortress of Saint Nicholas built in fifteenth century at the deck’s end of Mandraki harbour played a vital role in the defence of Rhodes city from the enemy attacks. The fortess in the defence of Rhodos played the key role in the sieges of 1480 and 1522-23.

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 of the Saint Nicholas Fortress at the present, has trees and a walking path. 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.

To really enjoy your holidays on Rhodes Island, you must plan a thorough sightsee of the Rhodes old town and its historical sites. When it comes to nest places to visit due holidays, the Old Town of Rhodes is one.

Rhodes Holidays holds attractions and features that will completely enthral you. If you get Rhodes Accommodation in Rhodes Town Hotels then you can easily access the nearby attractions