Places I have visited - Rhodos Island, Greece

Places I have visited - Greece - Unesco Medeavel town of Rhodos

Sender: Myself

PLACES I HAVE VISITED - Lindos, Rhodos Island, Greece

Lindos, Rhodos Island, Greece

A magnificent acropolis on a imposing rock
Nestling at the foot of a steep rock and beautifully surrounded by the sea lies the traditional settlement of Líndos; on the top of the same rock stands a centuries-old acropolis, proudly overlooking the archipelagos. The acropolis bears silent witness to Líndos’ glorious past, a major naval power of ancient times which reputedly had a population of 17,000. With 600,000 visitors annually, Líndos competes with Delphi as the second most visited archeological site in Greece.

According to tradition the temple of Athena on the acropolis was founded by Danaus, who came to the island with his 50 daughters to escape the rage of the goddess Hera. Follow the same ancient path that the ancient Rhodians took. When you reach the acropolis you will see a 280 BC relief of a Rhodian Trireme (ancient Greek warship) carved into the rock, an indication of the naval power of ancient Rhodes. On the bow of the Trireme stood a statue of General Agesander, sculpted by Pythokritos. Did you know that the first naval code, the famous “Rhodian Naval Code”, a code of international law and one of the most important legal documents in the world was written here in Rhodes? The emperor Antonio wrote of the Rhodian Naval Code: We may rule the world but the Rhodian Code rules the seas!

Through an ancient old gate you enter the world of the magnificent acropolis; on the first level you can see more recent buildings like the 1317 Castle of the Knights of St John, which was built on the foundations of an older Byzantine fortification. There is also the Greek Orthodox Church of St John, built on the ruins of an older church. The Knights significantly strengthened the fortifications of the acropolis, turning Líndos into a powerful fortified castle. On the second level to the south you can marvel at the remains of the 300 BC Doric Temple of Athena Lindia, which was built on the site of an earlier temple. At the entrance to the acropolis there is a Hellenistic stoa (covered walkway) where vaulted constructions that were once underground water storage tanks are still visible.
A monumental staircase leads to the upper level of the sanctuary consisting of the 4th century BC buildings: the Propýlea (gateways) that were built in the same style as the Athenian Propýlea, a big peristyle open air courtyard and a small Doric temple of Athena, where the statue dedicated to the Goddess by Danaus and his daughters was situated and worshipped; from this position the sweeping views of the Aegean will take your breath away…
In the main archaeological site of Líndos, homeland of Kleovoulos, one of the seven wise men of antiquity, you can also marvel at the ancient theatre situated beneath the Temple of Athena, just as the theatre of Dionysus was situated under the Parthenon.

PLACES I HAVE VISITED - Monastery of Filerimos, Rhodos Island, Greece

The Monastery of Filerimos is located here. This place is also an important archeological site; here once stood the Acropolis of the ancient town of Ialyssos with an important temple dedicated to Athena Polias.

The monastery is dedicated to Virgin Mary the Life-Giving Source (Zoodochos Pighi) and its architecture is much different than the usual monasteries in Greece. It was constructed with stone in a Gothic style, on the site of an older Byzantine monastery.

The monastery was built in the 15th century by the Knights of Saint John, who had conquered the island that time. Inside, there was the holy icon of the Virgin Mary that the Knights had probably brought to Rhodes from Jerusalem. When the Ottomans conquered the island in 1523, the Knights left and took the icon with them. After floating in Italy, Malta, France and Russia, this icon is today hosted in the National Museum of Montenegro. In the region around the monastery, there are the ruins of a baptistery in the shape of a cross, the remains of Ancient Ialyssos and an underground church of Saint George that dates from the 14th century AD. From Filerimos Monastery also starts the path to Golgothas. On top of this path, up on a hill with amazing view, there is a huge cross, while on the one side of the path, there are engravings that represent the Passion of the Christ

PLACES I HAVE VISITED - Monastery of Panagia Tsampika, Rhodos Island, Greece. I visited this monastery summer 2015

On the Greek island of Rhodes is famous tsambika mountain, on which is located the chapel of Panagia tsambika are located within. It is a Holy, calm and peaceful place where pilgrims annually. 

Is a mountain near the village of Archangelos, about 30 kilometers from the center of Rhodes. The Holy relic of the chapel is the miraculous icon of the virgin Mary. Interestingly, the virgin of Tsambika considered the patroness of couples, spouses, especially those who have no children.

The name of the chapel "tsamba" is translated as a flash, a spark, but this word can be translated only in the local dialect. According to legend, as the locals saw a bright light on the mountain, and when he climbed up the tree to find the hand of the Theotokos. Later it became clear that this is the icon that disappeared from the monastery of Cyprus. And according to legend, how much would the icon did not try to return to the monastery, she still miraculously ended up on the mountain. Then it was considered a sacred sign, and the chapel was named in honor of this icon.