Feraklos Castle: A Historic Fortress on Rhodes, Greece
Visitor Information
Google Rating: 4.5
Popularity: Low
Country: Greece
Civilization: Byzantine
Site type: Military
Remains: Castle
History
Feraklos Castle is a fortress situated near the village of Charaki on the island of Rhodes, Greece. Its origins trace back to the Byzantine Empire, reflecting the long-standing military and strategic importance of the area.
During the early 14th century, before the castle fell under Christian control, it served as a stronghold for Arab pirates who used it as a base of operations. This period ended on 20 September 1306 when the Knights Hospitaller, a medieval Catholic military order also known as the Maltese Order, captured the fortress. Despite their conquest, the Hospitallers initially left the castle unused, and by the early 15th century, around 1408, it had deteriorated into ruins.
A revival came in the late 15th century when Grand Masters Giovanni Battista degli Orsini (1467–1476) and Pierre d’Aubusson (1476–1503) undertook significant restoration work. This effort aimed to secure the fertile lands around the nearby bay and protect the anchorage used by ships. The castle once again became an important defensive site for the Hospitallers on Rhodes, offering refuge to local villagers from Maliona, Salia, Katagros, Zenodotou, and Kaminari, as recorded in documents from 1474.
Besides its defensive role, Feraklos Castle functioned as a prison for military prisoners and captured Arab and Turkish merchants, held after naval raids conducted by the Hospitallers in the eastern Mediterranean.
In 1445, the castle successfully resisted an assault by Ottoman forces during their early attempts to seize Rhodes. However, after growing Ottoman pressure culminated in the fall of Rhodes itself, Feraklos Castle was taken by the Ottomans on 3 January 1523, following a lengthy siege. The new rulers did not maintain the fortress, and it has been abandoned since that time.
Local tradition speaks of underground passages beneath the castle, which adds a layer of legend to its historical reality.
Remains
Feraklos Castle features a roughly polygonal design encircling an area near 1,700 square meters, with walls stretching approximately 680 meters in total length. Within these walls, the remains of a settlement can still be seen, offering a glimpse into the lives once sheltered here.
Several sections of the fortress walls originate from the Byzantine period, especially on the northern, northwestern, and western sides; these segments have notably survived through the centuries. Toward the southern edge, the vestiges of gates and two round defensive towers stand as markers of the castle’s former strength and access points.
The fortress was engineered with square-shaped battlements, known as crenellations, and a protective parapet designed to shield defenders during attacks. Inside, the well-preserved water cistern served as a crucial source of water storage. Nearby, ruins of internal chambers hint at the various functions, including residential and administrative uses within the castle walls. Some underground structures are also present, underscoring the complex layout below the surface.
Stories linked to the fortress speak of secret underground tunnels, which remain part of its local mythology and contribute to its enduring intrigue.
Perched 85 meters above the bay below, the castle overlooks the village of Haraki, its elevated position making it a formidable lookout over the surrounding seascape and countryside.
