The Palace of the Grand Master is the castle you see in every photograph of Rhodes: a huge, square, towered fortress at the head of the Street of the Knights, with a rounded gate and thick walls. It was the residence and headquarters of the grand masters of the Order of St John, begun in the fourteenth century on the foundations of an earlier building. For centuries it was a seat of power. Then, in 1856, a lightning strike ignited the gunpowder stored in the nearby church, and the explosion largely destroyed the palace. The Italians who ruled the island in the early twentieth century rebuilt it in the 1930s, partly as a grand holiday residence, and the mix of medieval structure and imaginative reconstruction is part of its fascination. Today it is a museum. Rooms off a handsome inner courtyard hold floor mosaics brought from the island of Kos, ancient and medieval sculpture, furniture and displays on the history of Rhodes from antiquity to the Knights.
Allow an hour to ninety minutes for the visit. The route climbs from the courtyard to the upper floors, where mosaics cover the floors of the state rooms, and the displays explain how the Knights organised themselves into languages or tongues, each responsible for a section of the walls.
The views from the rooms across the Old Town and out to the sea are worth lingering over, and the thick walls make it a good place to be on a hot afternoon. Walk back down the Street of the Knights afterwards to see the inns that belonged to the Order's national groups.
Opening times change with the season. In the summer season the palace runs long daily hours, around eight in the morning to eight in the evening. From 1 November to 31 March the culture ministry sets shorter hours, around half past eight to half past three, with the palace closed on Tuesdays, and some temporary exhibitions are also closed in winter.
A ticket with a digital guide is sold online in advance, which saves time at the entrance in busy months. Public holidays such as 25 December and Easter Sunday can mean closure, so check before you go.
Practicalities
The entrance faces the top of the Street of the Knights and is a short walk uphill from the Sea Gate or the harbour. There are steps inside, and the floors are stone, so comfortable shoes help. The Palace pairs naturally with the Archaeological Museum at the bottom of the street, and a combined plan of palace, street and museum fills a morning. Bags are checked at the entrance, and photography is generally allowed without flash. Because winter closing time is mid-afternoon, make it your first stop of the day.
What to expect
The experience
A self-guided museum visit through the rebuilt fortress, with mosaic floors, sculpture and furnished rooms around a stone courtyard, plus an optional digital guide.
Best time
As soon as it opens, before tour groups arrive and, in winter, with plenty of time before the mid-afternoon closing.
How long
About an hour to ninety minutes.
Tips
Check the winter hours and Tuesday closure, buy an e-ticket in advance in busy months, and wear comfortable shoes for the stone floors and stairs.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Anyone who wants to step inside the castle at the heart of the Knights story.
- Families
- Big rooms, towers and tales of knights suit children from about six; strollers are awkward on the stairs.
- Couples
- Combine the palace with a slow walk down the Street of the Knights and lunch in the Old Town.
- Pair with
- The Street of the Knights, the Archaeological Museum and the Old Town lanes.
- Time needed
- One to one and a half hours.
Good questions
Is the Palace of the Grand Master open in winter?+
Yes, with winter hours from 1 November to 31 March, roughly half past eight to half past three, and a closure on Tuesdays. Some temporary exhibitions are closed in winter.
Is the palace medieval or a reconstruction?+
Both. The original fourteenth-century fortress was largely destroyed by an explosion in 1856 and rebuilt in the 1930s, so what you see blends medieval structure and early twentieth-century reconstruction.
What can I see inside the palace?+
Floor mosaics, ancient and medieval sculpture, furniture and displays about the history of Rhodes and the Knights, around a large inner courtyard.
How long should I allow?+
About an hour to ninety minutes. Add time if you use the digital guide or want to photograph the views from the upper rooms.
Where is the entrance?+
At the top of the Street of the Knights, a short uphill walk from the Sea Gate and the harbour.
