Rhodes, Greece

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This article is about the Greek city of Rhodes. For other uses, see Rhodes (disambiguation).
City of Rhodes  (Ρόδος)
Image:Rhodes harbour.jpg
View of the harbour
Location
Coordinates 36°26′N 28°13′E / 36.433, 28.217Coordinates: 36°26′N 28°13′E / 36.433, 28.217
Time zone: EET/EEST (UTC+2/3)
Elevation (min-max): 0 - 25 m (0 - 82 ft)
Government
Country:Greece
Periphery: South Aegean
Prefecture: Dodecanese
Mayor: Hatzis Hatziefthimiou  (ND)
(since: Jan 2007)
Population statistics (as of 2001[5])
City Proper
 - Population: 53,709
 - Area:[6] 19.481 km² (8 sq mi)
 - Density: 2,757 /km² (7,141 /sq mi)
Metropolitan
 - Population: 80,000
Codes
Postal codes: 851 00
Area codes: 22410
License plate codes: PO,PK
Website
www.rhodes.gr
Image:Flag of Greece.svg

Rhodes (Greek: Ρόδος - Ródos) is the principal city of the Greek island of Rhodes, in southeastern Aegean Sea and the capital of the Dodecanese prefecture. Its has a population of approximately 80,000. Rhodes has been famous since antiquity as the site of Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The citadel of Rhodes, built by the Hospitalliers, is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe which in 1988 was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The City of Rhodes is a popular international tourist destination.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Image:Rhodes City.jpg
Google Earth overview of City of Rhodes.
Image:Rho mandraki 3.jpg
The fort of Saint Nicholas located at the entrance of the small port of Mandraki (now serving as a lighthouse)
Image:Rho aquarium.jpg
The building of the Aquarium at the Northern tip of the island.
Image:Rhodes road hg.jpg
The Avenue of the Knights in the medieval section of the city.

The city of Rhodes is situated in the north-east tip of the island and forms a triangle from north to south. It is the smallest municipality of the island in terms of land area and the largest in population. It borders with the Aegean Sea in the north, the east and the west and with the municipalities of Ialysos and Kallithea in the south.

[edit] History

The island of Rhodes is at a crossroads between Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. This has given the city and the island many different identities, cultures, architectures, and languages over it long history. Its position in major sea routes has given Rhodes a very rich history. The island has been inhabitated since about 4000 BC (Neolithic Period).[1]

[edit] Classical Period

The city of Rhodes was formed in 408 BC, by the cities of Ialyssos, Kamiros and Lindos.[1] Following its founding the city prospered for three centuries during its Golden Age. This was when sea trade, skilled shipbuilders, and open-minded politicians of the city kept it prosperous until Roman times. Between 304 and 293 BC the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World was built by the Lyndian sculptor Hares.[1] The construction took 12 years and was completed in 282 BC. The statue represented their sun god Helios, which stood at the harbour entrance. The ancient city had a well-constructed sewage system as well as a water supply network as designed by Hippodamus. A strong earthquake hit Rhodes about 226 BC, badly damaging the city and toppling the Colossus.[1] For the next eight centuries it lay in ruins until it was sold to a Jewish merchant, reputed to require 900 camels to haul it away.

[edit] Roman Period

In 164 BC, Rhodes became a province of the Roman Empire.[2] It was able to keep its beauty and develop into a leading center of learning for arts and science. Many traces of the Roman period still exist throughout the city and give us an insight into the level of civilization at the time.[2] According to Acts 21:1, the Apostle Paul stopped at Rhodes near the end of his third missionary journey.

[edit] Byzantine Period

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (April 2007)

[edit] Knights' Period

Image:Greece Rhodes street.jpg
Street in the Old Town.

The Knights Hospitallers captured and established their headquarters on Rhodes when they left Italy after the persecution of the Knights Templar in 1307. Pope Clement V confirmed the Hospitallers possession of the Island in 1309. The Knights remained on the Island for the next two centuries, harassing Muslim shipping.

In 1444, the Mamluk fleet of Egypt laid a siege to Rhodes, but the Knights aided by the Burgundian naval commander Geoffroy de Thoisy beat off the Muslim attack.

After the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 the Ottoman Empire began a rapid expansion and in 1480 Sultan Mehmet launched an invasion of Rhodes commanded by Mesic Pasha. The defenders repelled Turkish attacks from both landward and seaward sides and the invaders left the Island in defeat. The defeat halted a concurrent invasion of the Italian peninsula by Ottoman forces and prevented possible Muslim incursion and control of Western Europe.

After the Ottoman defeat in 1480 the Knights Grand Master, Fabrizio Del Carreto, oversaw the strengthening of the cities over the next few decades. By the time of his death in 1521 Rhodes possessed the strongest fortifications of any Christian Bastion in the World. The continued Naval attack launched from Rhodes on Muslim Merchants until 1522 the newly enthroned Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent led a second Siege of Rhodes (1522).

The vastly outnumbered Knights made a spirited defense of the city and inflicted heavy casualties upon the Ottoman besiegers. In December 1522 the Knights and Suleiman came to terms and the Knights were allowed to leave the city with all the wealth they could carry, in return there would be no retribution upon the inhabitants of the city and they would be allowed to continue to freely practice Christianity. On January 1st, 1523 the Knights departed from the island, leaving it to Ottoman control.

[edit] Ottoman Period

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (April 2007)

[edit] Italian Period

Image:Rhodes Old Town Street of Knights 1.JPG
Street in the Old Town.

In 1912 Italian troops took the island over with the rest of the Dodecanese Islands, and established an Italian colony known as Isole Italiane del Egeo in 1923.[3]

The Italians would later demolish the houses that were built on and around the city walls during the Ottoman era. They also turned the Jewish and Ottoman cemeteries into a green zone surrounding the Medieval Town.[3] The Italians preserved what was left from the Knights' period, and destroyed all Ottoman buildings. They also reconstructed the Grand Master's Palace.[3] Furthermore, an Institute for the study of the History and Culture of the region was established, and major infrastructure work was done to modernize Rhodes.[3]

[edit] Modern Period

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (April 2007)

[edit] Government

Image:PorteDeRhodesGrece010906.JPG
Entrance gate to the Medieval section of the city.
Image:Rhodes windmills.jpg
The Rhodes Windmills.

Rhodes is the capital of the island of Rhodes as well as of the Dodecanese Prefecture and should also be the regional capital as it is the only recognized urban center in the Aegean by central government. The city hosts both the City Hall and the Prefecture Hall and as a form of recognition holds also a regional office.

[edit] Mayors

Below are the mayors of the city from 1912 until today:

  • 1912-1913 - Pavlides, Savvas
  • 1913-1919 - Brizzi, Attilio (Italian Occupation)
  • 1919-1920 - Saccorotti, Francesco (Italian Occupation)
  • 1920-1937 - Biliotti, Alfredo (Italian Occupation)
  • 1937-1938 - Masseri, Girolamo (Italian Occupation)
  • 1938-1939 - Turkato, Ugo (Italian Occupation)
  • 1939-1943 - Secchi, Pietro (Italian Occupation)
  • 1943-1945 - Macchi, Antonio (Italian Occupation)
  • 1945-1946 - Kazoulis, Athanasios
  • 1946-1950 - Charitos, Gavriil
  • 1950 - Lambadarios, Symeon
  • 1950 - Iliopoulos, Nikolaos
  • 1950-1951 - Vrondakis, Emmanouil
  • 1951 - Teliakos, Lazaros
  • 1951-1954 - Fotaras, Fotis
  • 1955-1964 - Petrides, Michael
  • 1964 - Chiotakis, Georgios
  • 1964-1966 - Petrides, Michael
  • 1966-1967 - Zachariades, Elias
  • 1967-1974 - Vrouchos, Georgios
  • 1974-1975 - Tzavaras, Charalambos
  • 1975-1978 - Avgoustakis, Stavros
  • 1979-1982 - Venetoklis, Dimitrios
  • 1983-1990 - Karayiannis, Savvas
  • 1991-1994 - Kokkinos, Manos
  • 1995-2006 - Giannopoulos, Georgios
  • 2007-present - Hatziefthimiou, Hatzis (incumbent)

[edit] Landmarks

Medieval City of Rhodes*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Image:RhodesIntérieurDuPalais.JPG
State Party Image:Flag of Greece.svg Greece
Type Cultural
Criteria ii, iv, v
Reference 493
Region† Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription 1988  (12th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.
† Region as classified by UNESCO.

The city has many landmarks. Some of them date back to antiquity and most of the others remain from the Knights' Period.

[edit] Demographics

Both city and island population continue to grow contrary to national levels; the city has an official population of 54,000, but the actual population is estimated between 75 and 80,000. This is caused by many permanent residents of the city registering in their place of birth during the census. Thus the city's total population, as counted by the census, is less than the number of people actually residing in the city. Currently it is estimated that 80,000 people reside permanently in the city although last census showed only 54,000. This issue is criticized by the city mayors as permanent population burden the municipality with costs that can not be justified by the official numbers.

Year Population Change +/-
1951 24,280 -
1961 28,119 +3,839
1971 33,100 +4,981
1981 41,425 +8,325
1991 43,558 +2,133
2001 53,709 +10,151

[edit] Education

The city has old and inadequate educational facilities with most of them being sheltered in buildings of the early 1900s. Facilities by category:

  • Primary Education: 21 primary schools
  • Secondary Education: 7 high schools and 7 lyceums
  • Higher Education: Some departments of the Aegean University, Higher and Lower Tourism Schools and some private institutes

The last years two private schools were also established and offer classes from primary to lyceum education


[edit] Transportation

Image:Rhodes Old Town Fortifications4.JPG
The fortifications of the Old Town.
Image:Laokoon1.jpg
Laocoön in the Grand Master's Palace.

[edit] Road Network

The road network of the city is gradually becoming insufficient as the car fleet expands at a rate of 5,500 per year thus making both traffic and parking an increasing concern for the city officials, especially during the high-season (about 70,000 cars move from/to the center per day). The Medieval Town closes for vehicles during the summer so all the traffic gathers outside the walls and towards the modern city center which has mainly narrow and one-way streets. Finding a parking space is difficult and moreover it is under a fee. Direction signings on the streets are sufficient. From the south end of the city begins the E-95, the national road that connects the city with Lindos.

[edit] Bus Service

Bus service within the city is currently inefficient as the local municipal transport company (RODA [1]) is almost in bankruptcy. Its fleet is old and small, the routes are inconvenient and without specific timetables and finally, lack of serious management over the years undermine a probable future return in reliability and profits. Note though that during tourism season the company serves as well as possible all the main resorts and attractions contrary to winter time when services are below standard.

[edit] Taxi Service

Taxis in the city are plentiful during winter but are scarce in the summer due to high tourism. About 400 taxis serve the city and can be either found in specified taxi ranks or by phone.

[edit] Sea Service

The city hosts four harbors; the central serves national and international traffic (ferried and cruise ships), Akandia harbor is currently in construction servicing mainly cargo ships and cruise ships on busy days, Kolona serves in-prefecture traffic and private yachts and finally Mandraki harbor services daily trips around the island and small yachts. The new Marina of the island is being constructed in the Zefyros area and is expected to be operational by 2009.

  • Central Harbor

Routes to:

Routes to:

  • not in operation yet
  • Kolona Harbor

Routes to:

  • Major and minor Dodecanese islands
  • Mandraki Harbor

Routes to:

  • daily excursions around the island and in nearby islands

[edit] Air Service

Diagoras International Airport of Rhodes serves both city and the island. It is situated 14km south west of the city. It is connected to all major Greek airports and Cyprus throughout the year and during tourism season accepts heavy charter traffic.

[edit] Media

The city is served by many media companies that provide well rounded coverage on different aspects of modern life.

[edit] Television

Some 25 stations broadcast freely while 2 charge subscription fees; they are divided to local, national, satellite and pay-tv stations and are the following:

Local Stations (based within the city-(A to Z)

  • Irida TV
  • Maik Channel
  • Omega TV
  • TV4
  • Rodos Channel (defunct last 2 years)

Local Stations (based on the island-broadcasting in the city)

National Stations

Satellite/Pay TV Stations

[edit] Radio

  • SkyFM Radio (News) [2]
  • Radio 1 [3]

[edit] Newspapers

There are three daily newspapers issued that deal with both the city and the whole region. Moreover two are issued every Monday and there are few others with specific themes.

  • "I Rodiaki" [4] (translated "The Rhodian"/daily)
  • "I Proodos" [5] (translated "Progress"/daily)
  • "I Dimokratiki" [6] (translated "The Democrat"/daily)
  • "I Gnomi" (translated "The Opinion"/weekly)
  • "I Drasi" (translated "Action"/weekly)

[edit] Sports

The city after a long dark period of almost 15 years is reviving in many team sports. Football and basketball are the most famous but a wide variety is also in development during the last years with the most noticeable in rugby.

[edit] Football

The city has two major football teams; Diagoras GS and AS Rodos after a long period are back in national level and compete in Greek National Third Division (Gamma Ethniki) while the rest of the city based teams compete in the local Amateur Divisions.

[edit] Basketball

The last 15 years basketball is represented in national level by Colossus BC which currently won promotion to National A1 Ethniki just one year after being relegated. Other notable teams are AS Diagoras Rhodes which just gained promotion in National Third Division and AS Dodekanisos, the pride of the Aegean that competes and stars in the national basketball league for handicapped people.

[edit] Other

A variety of other sports is also available and in development in the city. In volleyball AS Diagoras Rhodes lost in the third division and returns to the local leagues; in rugby the recently formed Colossoi of Rhodes reached the top league finals for the second time in a row. The Nautical Club of Rhodes and Ygros Stivos of Rhodes have water polo teams in low level national divisions; the Rhodian Tennis Club play tennis and ping-pong in its privately owned facilities; AS Diagoras Rhodes have competitive teams in cycling and in track and field athletics. Finally ziu zitsu, karate, tae-kwon-do and other Eastern oriented sports are available with local teams that enjoy sporadic national success.

[edit] Sports Venues

The city has three major sports venues; the Rhodes Municipal Stadium and the Kallipateira National Athletic Center serve all outdoor activities while the Municipal Indoor Hall of "Venetokleio" serves indoor sports.

[edit] Consulates

The city of Rhodes is also home to many foreign consulates.[4]

[edit] Photo Gallery

Rho mandraki 1.jpg

The Italian Governor's Palace now used to house offices of the Prefecture of the Dodecanese Islands

Rhodes kanon balls hg.jpg

Cannonballs

144.Suleman Moschee.JPG

The Mosque of Suleyman

Rhodes town center statue.jpg

Statue on the small harbour of the city.

Rhodes street hg.jpg

Old town of Rhodes

Acropolis in Rhodes.jpg

Acropolis of Rhodes

Amboise.jpg

Amboise Gate

Grandpalace3.JPG

Grand Master's Palace

Rhodes Synagogue.JPG

Interior of Kahal Shalom Synagogue

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d History of Rhodes: Classical Period. Municipality of Rhodes. www.rhodes.gr (2007). Retrieved on 2007-03-31.
  2. ^ a b History of Rhodes: Roman Period. Municipality of Rhodes. www.rhodes.gr (2007). Retrieved on 2007-03-31.
  3. ^ a b c d History of Rhodes: Italian Period. Municipality of Rhodes. www.rhodes.gr (2007). Retrieved on 2007-03-31.
  4. ^ Tourists Information: Foreign States Consulates. Municipality of Rhodes. www.rhodes.gr (2006). Retrieved on 2007-03-31.
  5. ^ PDF (875 KB) 2001 Census (Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece (ΕΣΥΕ). www.statistics.gr. Retrieved on 2007-10-30.
  6. ^ (Greek) Basic Characteristics. Ministry of the Interior. www.ypes.gr. Retrieved on 2007-08-07.

[edit] External links

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