The Knights’ Castle
The Knights’ Castle dominates the north-eastern part of the island, standing atop Agios Nikolaos Hill and built on the foundations of an earlier, possibly Hellenistic, fortification. It was founded by the Knights of the Order of Saint John in the mid-14th century and remained in use until it was surrendered to the Ottomans in 1522, following the fall of Rhodes. Access to the castle is via a path ascending from the Church of Panagia in Chorio. The climb is somewhat steep but does not take more than 20 minutes.
At the entrance to the castle, visitors can see the embedded coat of arms of the Grand Master of the Knights of Saint John, Pierre d’Aubusson. The Church of Agios Nikolaos is still preserved within the walls, featuring frescoes dating from the 15th and 17th centuries. During its period of operation, the castle maintained visual contact with the “fryctoria” tower (a signalling tower) at the westernmost tip of the island, at Cape Kefali, and, when necessary, transmitted signals to the “viglatores” (watchmen) of Rhodes.
