Visit the Palace of Grand Masters in Rhodes: tickets, prices, schedules

For your next holiday, have you scheduled a trip to Greece? So don't miss visiting the Grand Masters Palace in Rhodes!

Overlooking the city of Rhodes, the same name as the island, the Palais des Grands Maîtres is an impressive and wonderful medieval fortress. Built in the 14th century on the site of an ancient temple dedicated to Helios, god of the sun, it was the seat of the order of Saint John of Jerusalem better known as Hospitallers for two centuries. Destroyed by a earthquake and an explosion, then rebuilt, this fortified palace now houses the Byzantine museum of the Greek island and is one of its unmissable monuments.

Would you like to visit the Grand Masters Palace in Rhodes? In this article you will find all the necessary information to discover this extraordinary building and its museum. Tips, history and practical information through rates and schedules, you will know the essentials to plan your visit and make the most of it!

History of the Grand Masters Palace in Rhodes

The history of the palace began in the seventh century, when a Byzantine citadel was built on the site of an ancient temple dedicated to the sun god Helios. During excavations, archaeologists found the foundations of the ancient Greek temple.

After the expulsion of the Crusaders of the Holy Land in 1291, the Hospitallers moved to Cyprus before conquering Rhodes around 1310. In the 1320s, the great master Helion de Villeneuve move the Order’s seat in the fortress. Defensive place and power, it has been enlarged and renovated many times. Until 1522, when the island was conquered by the Ottoman Empire, the palace housed the command centre of the Order. Later, the fortress was devastated by a earthquake in 1851 following the explosion of an Ottoman powder in 1856.

Between 1937 and 1940, during the Italian rule of Rhodes, the Italian architect Vittorio Mesturino restored the damaged parts of the palace. In 1848, the island of Rhodes returned under Greek authority. Since then, the palace has been converted to a museum.

Our advice to visit the Grand Masters Palace in Rhodes

You're leaving in Greece soon and want to organize your discoveries? After all, time is precious on a journey! So, to help you visit the Palace of the Great Masters in Rhodes, here are some tips and practical information:

The best time to visit the Grand Masters Palace

We recommend visiting the Grand Masters Palace in the morning or at the end of the day When it's not too hot yet. At sunset, you will enjoy the beautiful colors of the sunset sun, which beautifully dye the building and make the panoramas exceptional.

The visit can last One or two hours.

Before the visit of the Grand Masters Palace

The museum houses many collections. However, the small booklet given at the entrance only provides summary information on the exhibits. So don’t hesitate to ask you upstream about what you can discover!

But reassure yourself, the visit is not so exceptional by the fame of the works or collections exhibited. You will be especially charmed by the majestic and solid architecture of the building and by the beauty of the thousands of objects presented. During this visit, rise your head, but don’t forget to drop your eyes so as not to miss the countless mosaics of pebble that are in the rooms!

What to do when you visit the Grand Masters Palace in Rhodes?

The entrance of the Grand Masters Palace is located in the rue des Chevaliers . After a vaulted passenger and a first gate, you will enter the heart of the power of the cross city of Rhodes. The Grand Master, elected by the members of the Order and appointed until his death from the supreme administration of the Hospitallers, was housed in this place.

For the palace has been renovated by the Italians, you can observe the king's coat of arms Victor Emmanuel II everywhere, as well as a commemorative stele to the glory of Mussolini at the ticketing level.

The fortifications

The first elements of the palace you will observe will obviously be its towers and impressive fortifications. The palace dominates the city of Rhodes, the port as the land, which it had to protect. In the first rectangular courtyard you can admire the strength of this imposing work. In the event of an enemy attack, the court was to be used to house the population of the Rhodian.

The inner courtyard

After a second colossal portal, you will access the inner courtyard. The latter is surrounded by a gallery of arcades surmounted by a floor, where you can visit the rooms in a row.

On the ground floor you can discover two permanent exhibitions, organized under the arcades of the inner courtyard:

• The first treats the long History of Rhodes, from its foundation in 408 BC until now.
• The second focuses on Byzantine period then crossed, until the capture of the city by the Ottomans in 1522.

The first floor

You will access the first floor with a monumental staircase. There are many reception rooms and enfilade apartments. Unfortunately, furniture and all elements of origin were destroyed by a dramatic explosion in 1856.

However, you can admire on the ground beautiful Hellenistic and Roman mosaics. These are one of the main interests of the visit of the Grand Masters Palace. They are not of origin, but were installed there by the Italians during the renovation of the site.

Among others the strengths the visit of the first floor where you can admire the magnificent mosaics (they come, in large part, from the excavations made on the island Kos by Italian archaeologists):

• The Muses Hall
• La salle de la gorgone Méduse

How much does a ticket cost to the Grand Masters Palace in Rhodes?

The entrance alone to visit the Grand Masters Palace costs:

• Adults: 6€
• Reduced price: 3€

You can also buy a ticket combined with 10€ (per person) with three other museums and monuments:

• Archaeological Museum
• Museum of Popular Art
• Church Notre Dame du Château

How do I book a ticket for the Grand Masters Palace online?

He is not not possible to book online his ticket to visit the Grand Masters Palace in Rhodes.

Are there guided tours of the Grand Masters Palace?

The guided tours of the Grand Masters Palace are very rare. Most of the proposed guided tours are tours for groups of 4 to 9 people . These include frequently other monuments and sites in the city of Rhodes. For this type of private visits, count on 50 to 90€ per person . They usually take place in English but are sometimes proposed French .

Opening hours of the Grand Masters Palace in Rhodes

• April to October: you can visit the Grand Masters Palace in Rhodes de 8 a.m. to 8 p.m..
• From November to March: the site is open 8:00 to 14:40. Attention, the site can close Mondays, especially during the low season.

During the summer, the Grand Masters Palace court sometimes hosts free evening concerts. Learn to the Tourist Office to find out if festivals take place during your stay in Rhodes.

How do I go to the Grand Masters Palace in Rhodes?

Immanquable, the Palais des Grands Maîtres is at the following address: Ippoton, Rodos 851 00, Greece . It is located in the heart of the Old medieval city of Rhodes. To visit the Grand Masters Palace, you will have to go there on foot .

• From the north of the city of Rhodes: We advise you to follow the Pl. Eleftherias road until you reach the medieval city, then take the direction of the Greek Modern Art Museum. Continue to the left of the museum until Rue des Chevaliers.
• From the south of the city of Rhodes: you can reach one of the two gates of the medieval city. You only have to cross it by following the north to reach Rue des Chevaliers and thus the Palais des Grands Maîtres.

For a specific route, you can use Google Maps. Be sure to indicate "Rue des Chevaliers" and not the Palais des Grands Maîtres directly to have a coherent walking route. Count 15 or a 30-minute walk to the palace from your accommodation or another monument in the city of Rhodes.

Where to park near the Grand Masters Palace?

You can’t drive around the medieval city of Rhodes. It is however possible to park his vehicle at the entrance of the city then walk to the Grand Masters Palace. There are numerous paid and free parking lots all around the Old Town, to the west, but also to the Port of Rhodes.

Be still vigilant: pay spaces are delimited by blue lines. You will usually find a timer close to these. It is relatively difficult to park near the medieval city of Rhodes. In case of non-payment, your vehicle may be directly transported to the furnace.

Where to stay near the Grand Masters Palace in Rhodes?

As mentioned earlier, the Grand Masters Palace is located in the heart of the city of Rhodes.

For your accommodation on the island, we can only recommend you medieval town where is the fortress. Inscribed to Unesco’s World Heritage since 1988, cars are banned. Constellated with narrow and charming streets, you will easily find a charming hotel or Airbnb Typical. In addition, you will be close to all attractions and amenities. Indeed, the old town houses many historical and cultural monuments, as well as typical Greek restaurants and cafés.

However, housing prices can be higher than elsewhere in the city or on the island.