The Fort of St. Nicholas stands at the very edge of the long pier in Mandraki Harbour. It is a massive circular structure made of roughly hewn stone, looking austere and somewhat lonely — a concrete path leads to it along the deserted pier, with only the sea and fishing boats around. But this place was chosen for a reason: it was here, according to the most famous version, that the Colossus of Rhodes once stood — that same 33-meter statue of the god Helios, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
No trace of the giant remains, but the Fort of St. Nicholas, built by the Knights Hospitaller in the 15th century, seems to have taken over its post as a sentinel guarding the entrance to the harbour. When viewed from the embankment, the fort does not appear very large. But as you approach, you understand why it was built the way it is: the walls look solid, without unnecessary decoration. This is purely utilitarian architecture, where form is entirely subordinated to defence. A lighthouse operates atop the fort — it can be seen from afar, especially in the evening.
When and why the Fort of St. Nicholas was built
The fortress was begun in 1464–1467, when Rhodes was ruled by Grand Master Pierre Raymond Zacosta of the Order of Hospitallers. Before that, on this site stood a Byzantine church of St. Nicholas — the patron saint of sailors. The fort derived its name from that church.
The knights chose this place deliberately. Mandraki Harbour was the main sea gate of Rhodes. If an enemy broke through here, they could land right at the walls of Rhodes. Therefore, the entrance to the harbour needed to be blocked by a reliable fortress capable of withstanding artillery bombardment. The funds for construction were sent by the Duke of Burgundy. Originally, the fort was called the Tower of the Mills — because of the windmills that stood nearby on the pier.
What happened during the sieges
The Fort of St. Nicholas was seriously damaged during the first Turkish siege of Rhodes in 1480 and by the earthquake of 1481. After this, Grand Master Pierre d`Aubusson ordered the fortress strengthened: the tower was surrounded by a moat and an additional wall.
The next trial came in 1522, when Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent brought a huge army. The knights held out for six months, and the Fort of St. Nicholas played an important role in that defence. But the city ultimately fell, and the Hospitallers left Rhodes in 1523.
Architecture of the Fort of St. Nicholas
The fort stands on a natural widening of the shore, and its construction took into account that the Ottomans already had artillery. The walls were made thick to withstand cannonball impacts, and the fortress itself was made compact to reduce the area exposed to fire.
Marble fragments are embedded in the walls — probably from older Hellenistic buildings. It has even been suggested that they might have been part of the pedestal of the Colossus of Rhodes, but this is nothing more than a hypothesis.
In the mid-17th century, a French company that managed Ottoman lighthouses installed a lantern on the roof of the fort. The lighting equipment has been changed several times since then, but the lighthouse still operates today.
Connection with the Colossus of Rhodes
The fort stands on the very spot where, according to tradition, the famous statue once stood. The Colossus of Rhodes — a 33-meter bronze statue of the god Helios — stood for only 54 years and was destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BC.
Where exactly it stood is still debated. No remains of the statue have been found, but at the entrance to Mandraki Harbour, on the site of the present-day fort, this version seems most convincing.
Next to the fort, on two stone columns, stand bronze figures of a stag and a doe — the modern symbols of Rhodes. They offer a good view of the harbour, and tourists often take photos right here.
Can you go inside the Fort of St. Nicholas?
Currently, you cannot enter the fort. It is closed to visitors — inside is active lighthouse equipment, and the building itself is periodically under restoration. But the pier itself is open for walks at any time.
You can walk along it all the way to the fort, go around it, examine the masonry, the old stone cannonballs that sometimes lie nearby, and, if you are lucky, see the lighthouse being lit. Nearby stand three restored windmills — another recognizable symbol of Rhodes.
Next to the fort, you can also see the deer statues on stone columns, three old windmills, Mandraki Harbour with its yachts and boats, as well as the entrance to the Old Town — the Gate of Freedom.
The Fort of St. Nicholas is not the most promoted place in Rhodes, but it is one of the most atmospheric. There are no museum exhibits or guided tours there, but there is the sea, the wind, stones that remember the knights and Ottoman cannons, and a view of the city that looks completely different from the water than from the land. The Fort of St. Nicholas is worth visiting at least once.
