Lindos is located on the eastern side of the island approximately 55 klms from the city of Rhodes. An imposing cliff whose height is 166m rises from the level of the sea. To the left and right of this enormous crag were two harbours, one larger than the other. On the triangular surface of this giant rock the ancient Lindians worshipped their patron goddess the Lindian Athena. The temple dedicated to the goddess was impressive as it was surrounded by a number of praiseworthy buildings which bore witness not only to the inhabitants piety but also to the ancient city's great wealth.
The wild beauty of the cliff and the surrounding medieval castle which jelously guards the splendour of the ancient monuments behind its towers and thick walls leaves the beholder in awe. Today the acropolis of Lindos is no longer surrounded by the sacred grove which the ancient Lindians tended with such care and piety. Indeed Aglohartos, Athena's priest, at the height of her worship in the 3rd and 4th centuries proudly recorded the care and trouble taken to preserve the ancient grove on several inscriptions. The worship of a female diety on this rocky site dates back to the dim realms of early prehistory. First the Acheans and later the Dorians identified this pre Greek diety with the goddess Athena. Pindar narrates how this ancient temple was founded by the Heliades, the direct descendants of the sun god, and explains the reason for the absence of an altar. To Lindian Athena they did not offer sacrifices on burning flames. Their offerings were grain, fruit, sweets, liquids and other items which were the product of the earth and which did not require burning. These offerings are referred to by Pindar as "fireless offerings" and traces their origins back to the HeHades. According to legend the Heliades, in their haste to be the first to offer sacrifices to Athena, quickly ascended the cliff forgetting to bring fire with them. This oversight by the Heliades was the source of the fireless offerings. The myth of the Heliades is not the only myth which refers to the founding of this temple. The myth of Danaos, who was the father of the Greek race, is also associated with the temple. According to this myth when Danaos and his daughters fled from Eygpt on their way to the Peloponessus, Danaos stopped at Lindos. During the course of his stay on the island he founded the temple and set up the first statue of the goddess. This statue was a simple peice of unprocessed wood, the symbol associated with a form of worship which is called "xoano" (that is the worship of a wooden image). The first temple dedicated to the goddess was built in the 8th century BC and it was during this century that the deity was first depicted anthropomorphically. This statue was small in size and made of wood. This archaic temple survived until the time of Kleoboulos. In the 6th century Kleoboulos built a new temple and decorated it and the statue of the goddess with trophies from his numerous victories. The ruins which survive today do not date from the 6th century temple. This was destroyed in 342 BC by a large fire. On the site of the destroyed temple the Lindians built a new temple and the old wooden statue of the deity was replaced by another. This new statue had a wooden body which was gilded and marble head, hands and feet. The history of the temple and a description of the votive offerings are set out in great detail by Timahidas in the chronicles of Lindos. One is impressed not only by the number of votive offerings which are outlined but also by the number of statues which -adorned the temple, the plinths of which only survive today.
A little below the temple, at the entrance of the acropolis a large stoa in the Doric order was built in the year 200 BC, while the temple dedicated to Psithirou, the god of prophesy, was built in 200 AD. During the Middle Ages the Byzantines fortified the ancient acropolis by building an impregnable castle and the church of St. John. The successors of the Byzantines, the Knights built another castle which enclosed the surrounding area and the palace of the Keeper of the Castle. One can reach the acropolis along the southern slope of the hill. As soon as one passes through the main gate one finds a stairway which leads to a small square. To the right, carved in the rock of the cliff by Pythourito of Timoharou in 180 BC, one can see an impressive monumental structure made up of a circular exedra in front of which stands a large plinth. This plinth was either the base of an altar or the base of a statue. The stern of a triere can be seen along the side of the exedra. The length of the relief is 4.46m and its height is 5.50m. Many details can be discerned which aid in reconstructing the technical details of ancient shipbuilding. In the same area there are the remains of Byzantine water cisterns and the remains of an archaic stairway. A newer stairway with approximately 80 steps leads up to a domed entrance and the medieval administrative building which was also the home of the Knights' Keeper of the Castle. Passing through the medieval entrance one can see the remains of the Byzantine church dedicated to St. John and the Doric stoa which has been restored and whose columns have been erected in situ. The stoa is in the shape of a Greek P and measures 90m in length, 8.9m in width and 6.20m in height. There were 42 Doric columns along the facade and 8 Doric columns along its sides. The columns were polygonal one third of their height up while the other two thirds of the columns were fluted. In the centre of this magnificent Hellenistic structure there was a staircase with 36 steps, built on top of the older staircase of Kleoboulos, which led to the Propylaea. The Propylaea was built in the 5th century BC and is a copy of the Propylaea found on the Acropolis of Athens.
On the highest point of the triangular plateau the Lindians built a temple dedicated to their patron goddess. The length of this temple is 22.40m and the width is 7.20m. A dip style temple in the Doric order, only sections of its walls have survived intact and several columns have been restored to their original position.
The archaeological area is not limited only to the area of the acropolis, but extends to include the entire surrounding area. Carved out of the western slope of the hill lies the ancient theatre. The orchestra, the platform of the altar and 27 seats survive. Near the theatre stands the church of St. Stephen. The large rocks which surround the church are the remains of the wall which enclosed the ancient city's gymnasium. The excavations which were carried out by Danish archaeologists in 1904 revealed not only a great number of inscriptions and artifacts, but also marble slabs which recorded in inscription the history of the temple of Lindian Athena, and found under the ancient floor flagstones of a Byzantine church. This is the now famous Chronicle of Lindos which is today housed in the museum of Copenhagen.
The foundation remains of another temple dedicated to the goddess Athena lie in the position of Vegli, on the northern slope of the hill and facing the large harbour. This temple is the so called "Boukopion" temple whose name is derived from the Boukopia sacrifices which were held in Athena's honour. The Dorians built this small temple in the 9th or 10th century BC so that they could offer to the goddess the slaughtered sacrifices which was the decreed custom.
During the Hellenistic Period a large circular structure constructed of large roughly hewn stones was built on the small peninsula which enclosed the bay of Palaistras, the harbour of ancient Lindos. The external perimeter of the monument is 28.42m while its height is 2.80m. The local inhabitants call it the Tomb of Kleoboulos. The main entrance to the interior is gained on the southwestern side. A narrow corridor leads to a small sepulcher chamber. On the southwestern side of the chamber, dug into the rocky ground, lies the tomb of the man in whose honour this monument was built. This structure was also used in later times as a church dedicated to St. Emiliano.
In Rhodes Travel Guide you will find much more than Pictures of hotels located in Lindos since there is also a full list of all Rhodes Hotels.
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