Coin variations

Rhodes harbour

cross the street from the New Market is the harbor called Mandraki distinguished from the outer harbor by the 3 windmills and the fortifications at the end of the dock. Mandraki harbour was the military port of ancient Rhodes for almost 2.500 years, its mouth could be shut off by chains. Now the mouth is adorned by statues of a male and female deer ( Elafos and Elafina) symbols of the island - which stand on columns. These statues were built by the Italians and symbolize the actual deer they brought to Rhodes to rid the island of snakes

Mandraki is used by boats which leave there every day for short cruises to nearby islands and to bathing places on Rhodes. On the long breakwater front at Mandraki stand the three medieval windmills which ground the grain unloaded from merchant vessels in the harbor. The three windmills are actually all that remain of a line of 14 medieval windmills.

The 15th century Tower of Saint Nicholas at the end of the pier in the Mandraki harbor was the key to the defense of the city and in both the first unsuccessful siege of 1480 and the second and final siege of 1522-23 was pounded into rubble in some of the most ferocious battles in the defense of the city. The Gothic style Orthodox Church of the Annunciation with its murals by Fotis Kontoglou is near the entrance of the harbour as well as the Govenors Residence surrounded by gothic arches. Other lovely buildings in the area include the National Theatre, Law Courts and Town Hall.

• Location information
• www.rhodes.gr