Acropolis of Rhodes

The Acropolis of Rhodes rises on the Monte Smith plateau roughly three kilometers from the modern city center, and served as the religious and civic heart of ancient Rhodes from the 5th through the 3rd century BC. The site held temples dedicated to Apollo, Athena Polias, and Zeus Polieus; several reconstructed Doric columns from the Apollo temple still stand as the most visible reminder of the site's former grandeur. Unusually well-preserved for a Greek island acropolis, the complex also includes a small odeon used for musical and rhetorical performances and a stadium whose foundations remain legible in the landscape. The hill gained its modern name from British Admiral Sir Sidney Smith, who used it as an observation post in the early 19th century. Today the grounds are laid out as a public park with free entry, offering panoramic views over Rhodes and the Aegean, shaded pine paths, and a relaxed pace that sets it apart from the more crowded ancient sites of the Greek world.