Grand Master Palace on the Rhodes originates from the 14 century. It was the times when the knights of Order of Hospitallers withdrew from the Cyprus and made the Rhodes their main residence.
Initially at the place of the Grand Master Palace was located ancient temple and after Byzantine fortress has been built. Since it was strategic point which allows control the entrance to the Rhodes port Hospitallers decided to fortify the fortress and converted it into the residence of their leader.
It’s worth mentioning that we can treat the Order of Hospitallers as independent state. Of course, Order did not have any borders but Order conducted their own policy, declared a war and peace, traded with another states. So, how we can call it? Of course it’s an independent state.
In the times of Hospitallers Grand Master Palace was enlarged. In additional to the palace were built a lot of different buildings, for example, hospital and churches. Knights stayed at Rhodes about 200 years up to the 1523. They successfully gone through the vigorous attacks from the Turkey but at last they surrender to the Suleiman the Great and left Rhodes.
Turks also used the Palace but in 1856 it was partly destroys as result of the gunpowder explosion.
At the beginning of 20 century Turks were ousted from island by the Italians. The Palace has been refurbished and used as a Royal Summer Residence. They saved the exterior of the Palace but interiors were made in more pompous style. It was done because the Palace was used as the meeting place with foreign ministers and envoys.
Rhodes was joined to the Greece at 1948 and then Grand Master Palace was converted into the museums. In additional to the many medieval artifacts you can see a lot of ancient things. For example, great roman mosaics which were transformed to Rhodes from the neighbor islands.
