The island of Rhodes, which sits in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, offers a rich history along with incredible natural beauty. The evergreen mountains in combination with the stunning beaches and the picturesque medieval town make it the perfect holiday destination. You will find plenty of interesting places to visit as well as uncountable things to do all year long. What follows are several facts about Rhodes island you may don’t know. Grab a drink and prepare to be surprised!
1. Origins: According to Greek myth, the island of Rhodes was originally the sun god named Helios. He felt in love with a nymph named Rhodes, who transformed herself into an island when his sunlight touched her skin. In the Greek language, “Rhodes” means “rose” which describes the island quite well as it is covered in flowers.
2. Founder: Although, who was the first on the island of Rhodes arguably dates back to pre-historic times with their name being lost? Greek myth claims that Tlepolemus, one of Hercules’ sons, founded the first settlement on the island and was worshipped by the people.
3. Famous Statue: The extremely tall, Colossus of Rhodes, was considered as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
4. Colossus Leftovers: After Arabs conquered the island of Rhodes, in the 7th century BC, dismantled Colossus leftovers and sold it as scrap metal. It needed approximately 900 camels to carry away all of it!
5. Connection to the Statue of Liberty: The famed Statue of Liberty is roughly the same size and weight of the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The Colossus was estimated to weigh about 225 tons.
6. Not Called Colossus: Sir John Mandeville was not correct when he reported that the island of Rhodes was once known as “Colossus”. His error was probably due to a combination of St. Paul’s Epistle to the Colossians along with the presence of the “Colossus of Rhodes” which was a massive statue that was on the island.
7. Cleobulus of Lindos: Lindos village served as the home of Cleobulus, one of ancient Greece’s Seven Sages. He was considered a tyrant and was also a poet. A walk to the tomb made in his honor is of the best things to do in Lindos.
8. Diagoras of Rhodes: A popular ancient boxer, Diagoras was the father of the family of Diagoridae, the biggest Olympic winner. His sons and grandsons were winners in the Olympics as well.
9. Kallipateira: The daughter of Diagoras, Kallipatera was the very first woman who was able to watch the Olympic Games. She wasn’t sentenced to death by the judges because of the glorious men in her family.
10. Leonidas of Rhodes: While it is unknown, Leonidas of Rhodes was among the best sprinters of all time. Winning three sports for four consecutive Olympiads and keeping his record for over 2,160 years. Only Michael Phelps broke his record in 2016.
11. Hipparchus of Nicaea: Hipparchus was born in Nicaea but lived most part of his life and died in his favourite beach of Rhodes island. He is well known to scientists and considered as the ”father” of astronomy. He is the one who divided the year into days!
12. Maria Malandri: A patriot from the village of Monolithos, Maria Malandri was part of World War II where she assisted partisans by accommodating them in the cave called Cave of the Spies.
13. Exclusivity: Rhodes enjoys the exclusivity of being the sole ancient city that hosted one of the Seven Sages of Ancient Greece and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World at the same time.
14. Antikithira Mechanism: There are many indications that the Antikithera mechanism was constructed in Rhodes. The island had a rich technological tradition, which began with the prehistoric Telchines and reached its apogee in the early 3rd BC century with the construction of the Colossus.
15. Connection to America: Although a legend, it has been reported that the state of Rhode Island in the U.S. was named after Rhodes. The explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, who was of Italian descent, was the first European to view what would become Rhode Island. He saw a small island sitting in what became Narragansett Bay and thought it looked similar to Rhodes. So, that is what he called it, and the name stuck.
16. Strongest Earthquake: There is a somewhat unpleasant record in Rhodes Island. The strongest earthquake that ever hit Greece occurred in 1926 that destroyed thousands of buildings and took the lives of hundreds of people. An earthquake with a magnitude of 8.0 was felt all over Mediterranean area.
17. Famous Bricks: The Rhodian clay bricks were famous in the antiquity for their solidity and lightness. They were white and five of them weighed as much as one from other places. That’s why Justinian I forced his architects to use them for the dome reconstruction of the greatest architectural masterpiece of the Middle Ages, the Hagia Sofia.
18. The Greek Hollywood: Numerous celebrities passed from this island that is a favorite location for famous scenes and movies. Rhodes was highlighted in many 60s movies, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in Greece.
19. UNESCO World Heritage Site: The Old Town that is part of Rhodes was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988.
20. Different Names: Rhodes island acquired many names through its long history. Almost always, these names was determined by the island s features or its history. Ancient names of Rhodes were Ofiousa, Trinakria, Ataviria, Ethria or Asteria, Korimvia, Ilias, Telchinis, Pelaghia, Makaria, Pontia, Stadia, Oloesa, Poiessa. In modern times, Rhodes has taken the names of ”Emerald island”, ”Knights island” and ”Island of the Sun”.
21. Knight Headquarters: The Order of St John’s Knights moved their headquarters to Rhodes island and remained here for over 200 years.
22. Fully Intergration: Dodecanese region fully integration with mother Greece happened in 1948
23. Magellan‘s Crew: There were three sailors from Rhodes who joined and survived among Magellan’s crew after its initial circumnavigation of the world.
24. Roman Maritime Law: Maritime Law was first written by the Lindians which later became known as Rhodian law. The Romans then based their maritime law on Rhodian law which today is the foundation for modern maritime law.
25. Winged Victory: Although many may associate the word “NIKE” with a certain shoe company. It is a Greek word for “winged victory“. The famous NIKE swoosh is believed to be the wing of a goddess. A statue created in 190 BC of the goddess celebrates a victory by the Rhodes navy.
26. Trojan War: The navy of Rhodes contributed 9 ships to the Greek navy during Trojan War.
27. Islands Everywhere: Dodecanese is consisted of 108 islands which only 27 of them are inhabited. Rhodes is the largest of them and also the island group’s capital.
28. See Turkey: The island is close enough to Turkey that you can see the country from the east coast. It’s relatively rare to visit another country so close that it is practically a stone’s throw away. Turkey is well within sight on a clear day. Of course, distance is not the only link between Greece and Turkey.
29. Geology: The main bedrock met in Rhodes is limestone. Ιt is also noteworthy that the soil of many areas contains high percentages of clay.
30. Size:It covers an area of 1,401 km², making it the 4th largest island in Greece, after Crete (8,336 km²), Euboea (1,417 km²), and Lesbos (630 km²). The air distance between its northernmost point (Aquarium at Rhodes town) and the southernmost one (Prasonisi beach) is approximately 77 km. A car ride along the east coast route is approximately 92 km, taking a bit less than 1.5 hours.
31. Location: Rhodes is approximately 363 km (226 miles) east-south-east from the mainland of Greece. On the other side, just 18 km (11 miles) from Turkey.
32. Population: About 120,000 people live in the 43 towns and villages that dot the island. The central town of Rhodes is officially home to 50,636 residents as of 2011.
33. Sweet Sunshine: 300 sunny days per year are more than enough to make Rhodes a great destination for outdoor activities and beach vacations. This is why the island was dedicated to god Apollo, the god of the sun.
34. Habitant Archaeological Area: Behind the walls of the Medieval or Old town of Rhodes live about 6000 residents. A thing that makes it one of the most habitant medieval towns in Europe.
35. Awarded Beaches: The Municipality of Rhodes ranks, almost every year, in the 1st position for Blue Awarded Beaches. Its main competitor is the Municipality of Chalkidiki.
36. Miniature Horse: The Rhodian Pony or miniature horse found in Rhodes island and considered to be among the smallest in the world. They are also endangered species as nowadays only a few remain. These few remaining ponies live in a controlled reproduction area in Archagelos village under the supervision of an association for their protection called Phaethon.
37. Champion of survival: Ghizani fish is a little native freshwater fish and considered as a champion of survival. It can found in lakes as well as streams. Sadly, it is endangered due to human activities such as pollution and improper irrigation.
38. Dama-Dama: Dama-Dama is a remarkable deer native to Rhodes. It is the emblem of the island and is quite rare. The Dama-Dama is a protected species and lives in the forest of Rhodes. It is a remarkable animal to see if visitors get the chance.
39. Ruinous flames: In July 2023, Rhodes Island faced devastating wildfires that significantly impacted its landscape and posed a considerable challenge to local communities. The fire turned to ashes 135,000 acres of “clean” forest land, resulting in the loss of 50,000 olive trees and 2,500 animals. In total, 206,610 acres were lost, equivalent to 14.7% of the island’s total area!
40. Rich Ecosystems: The different national parks including Mt. Profitis Elias,