Old town Lindos description and photos - Greece: Lindos (Rhodes) (Topic)

Old town Lindos description and photos - Greece: Lindos (Rhodes). Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The name in English is Old town Lindos.

Photo and description

Lindos is an archaeological site, city and former municipality on the east coast of Rhodes. The town is located 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 town's rich history dates back to 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 decreased.

In ancient times, the massive temple of Athena towered over the acropolis of Lindos Lindia, which took its final form around 300 BC. During the reign of the Greeks and Romans, additional buildings were completed around the temple. In the early Middle Ages, these structures fell into decay, and in the 14th century they were partially buried under a massive fortress, erected on the acropolis by the knights-johannites to protect the island from the Ottomans.

The acropolis of Lindos, a natural fortification, rises above the modern city. , which was used by the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, knights-johannites, so it is difficult to conduct archaeological excavations and classify the finds. Today, 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 300 AD, presumably during the reign of Emperor Diocletian.

Among the later structures, the castle of the Knights of St. John, built shortly before 1317 on the foundations of more ancient Byzantine fortifications, is 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 a magnificent view of the surrounding harbor, the modern city and the coastline.

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Topic: Old town Lindos description and photos - Greece: Lindos (Rhodes).