Acropolis of Rhodes

Why go

The remains spread across the hill rather than filling a single museum. Seeing the temple, stadium and theatre together makes the scale of the ancient city clearer, while the exposed hillside gives a different view of Rhodes from the dense medieval centre.

What to look for

• Columns of the Temple of Apollo stand above the city.
• The ancient stadium and small theatre occupy the lower terraces.
• The hill looks west toward the setting sun.

The full story

The ancient city of Rhodes was founded after the island’s three major cities united in 408 BC. Its acropolis occupied high ground west of today’s historic centre, with civic and sacred buildings arranged on terraces. The surviving columns of Apollo’s temple, stadium and theatre are fragments of that larger plan. Excavation and restoration have also changed what is visible, especially around the temple. Looking across the site helps connect ancient Rhodes to a part of the city that lies beyond its better-known medieval walls. The site was first investigated extensively during Italian rule; Greek archaeologists continued excavation and restoration after the Second World War. The temple columns are therefore a combination of ancient remains and later reconstruction. Rather than looking for one complete building, follow the change in level between the sacred area and the performance spaces below. That arrangement gives a better sense of the ancient city’s monumental landscape.

Useful to know

• Treat Monte Smith as an exposed outdoor visit and choose conditions that suit walking among ruins.
• Use the official monument information before setting out if access to a particular section matters.

Your next visit

Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.