The palace of the Grand Master of the Order, the famous “Castello”, is one of the greatest monuments erected in the Middle Ages. It was the administrative centre, the residence of leader of the Knights of St John of Rhodes, and the seat of the established ruling class. During the Ottoman period it was seriously damaged by an ammunition explosion. It was rebuilt during the time when Rhodes was under Italian occupation, in 1912. Today it houses the Museum of Rhodes, and has an extensive array of exhibits. Visitors are able to admire not only the palace itself, but also the impressive collections of tombstones, paintings, statuary, jewellery, books and mosaics. Here are also some of the most important archaeological findings of the ancient history of the eastern Mediterranean, such as the Trophy of Mithridatic Wars, the statue of Laokoon, and the mosaic of the enigmatic Medusa.
