Feraklos Castle

Here you’ll find some really nice views and over all it’s a rather nice calm place.

Short history

The fortress was originally built in the Byzantine era. It was captured by the Knights Hospitaller on 20 September 1306, being their first possession on the island that would become their base. By 1408 it was in ruins, and was repaired under the Grand Masters Giovanni Battista Orsini (1467–1576) and Pierre d’Aubusson (1476–1503) as a stronghold to protect the area, and particularly watch over the anchorages at the Charaki and Agia Agathi beaches nearby. After 1470, the Hospitallers abandoned all other fortifications on the island except for Feraklos, nearby Lindos, and the city of Rhodes, which in turn were further strengthened. A decree of 1474 prescribed that the Feraklos Castle was the place of refuge by the inhabitants of the villages of Malona, Salia, Katagros, Zinodotou, and Kaminari when there was danger.

The fort was captured by the Ottoman Empire in 1523 after a long siege, a few months after the capture of Rhodes. The Ottomans did not use the castle and it has since been abandoned.

Instructions

There’s no dedicated parking, however there’s mostly room for cars really close to the passage up the hill. Most leave their cars here and if there’s no more room there then there’s always space a bit down the road, here.

The first part of the climb up the hill has some rather high “steps” and the rocks are slippery here and there so be careful.