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A walk along the pier with the three windmills brings you to the fort of St. Nicholas and gives you the opportunity to see the new and the Medieval town from across the water.

Mandraki port was one of the five ports of ancient Rhodes, and a war port in the Hellenistic and medieval era. Between 1460 and 1467 Grand Master Zacosta of the Order of St. John, fearing an Ottoman siege, built a fort at the end of the mole at the place of an Byzantine church dedicated to St. Nicholas. 

He originally built a round tower of a diameter a little wider than 17 meters and adorned it with a relief of Saint Nicholas, his own Coats of Arms and the ones of the Duke of Burgundy who had financed the construction.

The decision to build the fort there was a wise one. It suffered brutal attacks during both Ottoman sieges (1480 and 1522). Whoever captured it would gain control of the harbour.

Damaged during the siege of 1480 and by the earthquake of 1481, it was restored and fortified by Master Aubusson and converted into a powerful fort.

In 1496 the mole had at least three windmills, which still stand today. Since the 17th century, a lighthouse was added at the top of the fort.

The last 15 years reconstruction is in progress, expected to finish in April 2022.

Google Maps                                                                 Easy Go GPS

Both navigators: Tap on  for walking,    for driving.  Google Maps: not reliable when driving