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:The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone theatre structure located on the southwest slope of the Acropolis of Athens. It was built in 161 AD by the Athenian magnate Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife, Aspasia Annia Regilla. It was originally a steep-sloped theater with a three-story stone front wall and a wooden roof made of expensive cedar of Lebanon timber. It was used as a venue for music concerts with a capacity of 5,000. It lasted intact until it was destroyed and left in ruins by the Heruli in 267 AD.
The audience stands and the orchestra (stage) were restored using Pentelic marble in the 1950s. Since then it has been the main venue of the Athens Festival, which runs from May through October each year, featuring a variety of acclaimed Greek as well as International performances.