The street of the Knights (Odós Ippotón) is one of the highlights of the Medieval Town of Rhodes. It is a fascinating and obligatory visit for all guided tours, one of the most admired attractions in the Old Town.
Following an almost exact east to west direction, the well preserved cobble paved street uses, in part, an ancient straight road that connected the port with the Acropolis of Rhodos. The medieval road is about 600m long. Starts from the square in front of the Knights’ Hospital, the seat of Archeological Museum and leads to the Grand Master’s Palace.
Along the street seven imposing inns where constructed in the early 16th century, representing the seven countries, or tongues, that the Knights of the Order of St John were originated from. Each facade is decorated with emblems and details that reflect the respective country. With no doubt, the finest of them is the Auberge de France that was built between 1492 and 1503. Most of the Grand Masters were French so their influence on the architecture was considerable. Stonemasons and craftsmen were for the most part Greek but workers from France and Spain were also brought here.
References:Doune Castle was originally built in the thirteenth century, then probably damaged in the Scottish Wars of Independence, before being rebuilt in its present form in the late 14th century by Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany (c. 1340–1420), the son of King Robert II of Scots, and Regent of Scotland from 1388 until his death. Duke Robert"s stronghold has survived relatively unchanged and complete, and the whole castle was traditionally thought of as the result of a single period of construction at this time. The castle passed to the crown in 1425, when Albany"s son was executed, and was used as a royal hunting lodge and dower house.
In the later 16th century, Doune became the property of the Earls of Moray. The castle saw military action during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and Glencairn"s rising in the mid-17th century, and during the Jacobite risings of the late 17th century and 18th century.