Description of the attraction
Lindos is an archaeological site, city and former municipality on the east coast of Rhodes. The town is situated in a large bay overlooking a fishing village, 50 km south of Rhodes town, and its beautiful beaches make it a popular tourist destination.
The rich history of the city begins around the 10th century BC. Lindos was one of six cities founded by the Dorians led by King Tlepolemus of Rhodes. The favorable location contributed to the formation of the city as a major center of trade between the Phoenicians and Greeks, and after the founding of Rhodes, at the end of the 5th century BC, the importance of Lindos declined.
In ancient times, the massive temple of Athena Lindia towered over the acropolis of Lindos, which took its final form around 300 BC. During the domination of the Greeks and Romans, additional buildings were completed around the temple. In the early Middle Ages, these structures fell into disrepair, and in the 14th century they were partially buried under a massive fortress, erected on the acropolis by the Knights of the Ioannites to protect the island from the Ottomans.
The acropolis of Lindos rises above the modern city, a natural fortification that was used by the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, knights-John, so it is difficult to conduct archaeological excavations and classify finds. To date, among the surviving ruins identified: the Doric temple of Athena Lindia, dating from about 300 BC. e., built on the site of an earlier temple; the Temple of Propylaea, dating back to the early 4th century BC, with a monumental staircase, D-shaped portico and a wall with five doorways; a Greek gallery-portico with side protruding wings and 42 columns, made around 200 BC, its dimensions are 87 meters in length. This is followed by a relief of a Greek trireme (ship) 180 BC, carved into the rock at the foot of the stairs leading to the acropolis. On the nose stood a statue of the commander Hagesander by the sculptor Pitokritos. An ancient (2nd century BC) Greek theater staircase descends to the main archaeological area of the Acropolis. Here you can see the ruins of a Roman temple of AD 300, presumably during the reign of Emperor Diocletian.
Among the later buildings, the castle of the Knights of St. John, built shortly before 1317 on the foundations of more ancient Byzantine fortifications, has been partially preserved. The walls and towers follow the natural outlines of the rock, on the south side there is a pentagonal tower, from which the port, village and road were controlled. There was a large round tower in the east overlooking the sea and two more - one round, the second corner on the northeastern side of the fence. One of the southwestern corner towers and one western one, as well as the gate and one wall of the Greek Orthodox Church of St. John, have survived.
The Acropolis offers great views of the surrounding harbor, modern city and coastline.
