Rhodes — Colossus & Oracle Secrets

Your quest begins at the Gate of Liberty (Eleftherias Gate), approximately 10 meters wide with its semicircular arch, built in 1950 by the Italians as the main entrance to the medieval Old Town of Rhodes. It is here, facing the UNESCO-listed medieval ramparts from 1988, that the first clues are revealed. As Chares of Lindos, you must navigate through this architecture which, although modern, is part of the continuity of Rhodes' great fortified gates. You follow the path of the Hospitaller walls, built between 1309 and 1522, for 1.5 km, searching for traces of the past in every stone.

Continuing your journey, you reach Ippokratous Square, the beating heart of Rhodes, created in the 14th century by the Knights Hospitaller. The hundred-year-old plane trees, planted around 1912 by the Italians, cast their shade over this site of historic markets, surrounded by Ottoman and Byzantine buildings. 800m from the Gate of Liberty, this square, though more recent than your era, connects you with the commercial flows and rumors that traversed the city, essential for locating Helios' prophecies. The hustle and bustle here is constant, a distant echo of the crowds who worshipped the sun god.

Your route then takes you to Mandraki Port, the ancient harbor where the Colossus of Rhodes stood around 280 BC. This statue of Helios, 32-40 meters high, was destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BC. Today, the deer statues, symbols of Rhodes, and the neoclassical Lighthouse of Saint Nicholas, built in 1442, mark the port entrance. 1 km walk from the Gate of Liberty, this iconic location is crucial for your investigation, as this is where the Colossus stood, and where the oracle delivered its most powerful messages, linked to Rhodes' maritime protection.

At the entrance to Mandraki Port, the Lighthouse of Saint Nicholas, built in 1468-1470 by the Hospitallers and rebuilt in neoclassical style by the Italians in 1910, overlooks the sea. 21 meters high, it served as a defense tower in the 16th century. Approximately 1.2 km from the Gate of Liberty, this lighthouse is a strategic observation point. It was here that Helios' priests watched the skies and fleets, interpreting signs for the people of Rhodes. The sea winds still carry echoes of ancient prophecies, helping you decipher the oracle's ultimate messages.

Finally, your journey leads you to the Mosque of Suleiman the Magnificent, erected in 1522 by Suleiman the Magnificent after the Ottoman conquest of Rhodes. Located near Mandraki Port, its Ottoman architecture with a central dome 15 meters in diameter, transformed into a temporary museum in the 1980s, represents another chapter in Rhodes' history. 1 km from the starting point, this monument symbolizes the succession of empires on this Dodecanese island. Through these different eras, you will have pieced together Helios' legacy, uncovered the secrets of the Colossus, and understood how Rhodes, despite changes, has always maintained its connection to the divine and the glorious past of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.