In the 3rd century BC, the fabled Colossus of Rhodes was built as an homage to the city's patron god, Helios. The gigantic bronze sculpture was over 100 feet tall and only stood for 56 years before it was destroyed by an earthquake. Now, nothing remains of the sculpture save its reputation as one of the seven ancient wonders of the world.
Medieval Europeans imagined the Colossus straddling Mandraki Harbor, gazing out over land and sea, though the general idea is that this position would have made the sculpture unstable. The most probable place for the Colossus is in the location of the current Palace of the Grand Master.
Visit the fabled spot of the Colossus, at modern Mandraki harbor, and admire the beautiful bronze deer - male and female - erected on either side of the harbor mouth.
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From Astir Palace, venture to Cape Sounion and explore the Temple of Poseidon. Archaeological records of the site date back to the 7th century BC when a first attempt to construct a temple stalled. Construction began anew in the 5th century BC, when the current temple was built over the unfinished remains of the first.
