Description of the attraction
The island of Kos is a picturesque Greek island in the Aegean Sea, belongs to the Dodecanese archipelago (Southern Sporades). The island's fascinating ancient history and rich cultural and historical heritage attract a huge number of travelers from all over the world every year. One of the most important sights of Kos is the Castle of the Knights of the Ioannites, located next to the harbor in the capital of the island of the same name.
The Knights of the Order of St. John settled on the island in the 14th century and, in order to protect themselves from the unwanted invasion of the Turkish conquerors, began building a defensive fortress. A grandiose fortification was built on the ruins of an ancient city. During its construction, the knights used local materials, including stone and marble, preserved from ancient buildings. By the 16th century, the existing realities required the construction of additional fortifications, and in 1514 the construction of the outer defensive walls was completed. Between the inner castle and the new fortifications, there was a deep moat, filled with water, through which a massive stone bridge ran. The moat has long been drained and overgrown with trees and shrubs, but the stone bridge has been perfectly preserved to this day and it is through it that you can get to the territory of the ancient castle.
Unfortunately, today only majestic ruins remain of the once magnificent structure, which, however, give a rather colorful idea of the former power of the Knights of the Order of St. John. Massive battlements, watchtowers, loopholes and fragments of internal buildings have been partially preserved. At the gates of the fortress, you can still see the coat of arms of the Grand Master Pierre de Aubusson.
Today the island of Kos is one of the most popular and most visited islands in Greece. The ruins of the medieval Castle of the Knights of the Iohannite are not only one of the most visited attractions of the island, but also an important archaeological and historical monument.
