Archagelos is a municipality with 5.800 inhabitants and it has an area of 5 sq. km. It is situated on the eastern coast of Rhodes island, 28 km from the city of Rhodes and it stands 161 m above the sea-level. Its history stretches back over thousands of years.
1500 BC Achaean Greeks from mainland move to Crete island and from Crete to Rhodes where they settle in the site of Mountain Filerimos - called Achaea by them.
1100 BC When the Mycenaean war was over, Dorians come to Rhodes and set up three city-states : Lindos, Ialysos and Kamiros which later united with other Doric cities, Cos, knidos and Halicarnassus, to form the "Doric Hexapolis" (a federation of six cities).
408 BC A new city-state, the city of Rhodes, established on the northern tip of the island arises and becomes the most powerful.
During that time, Archangelos is known as "Pontorephs municipality", belongs to Ialysos city-state and is situated on the coastal site Petronas (stone place). In Middle Ages the inhabitants move away from the coast because of pirates raids and the new settlement is named Archagelos. Pottery is in prosperity. Emperor Justinian takes bricks from Petronas to decorate the arch of Saint Sophia Church in Constantinople.
1309-1522 AD Rhodes island is under the rule of the knights of Saint John. In 1476 a castle-fortress was built on the top of a rock in Arcagelos to protect the inhabitants. Ruins of this castle are still evident today.
1522-1912 AD Rhodes falls into Ottoman hands.
1912 AD Italians occupy the island for 32 years.
1948 AD Liberation and Unification of the Dodecanese with the rest of Greece.
Nowadays, Archagelos is the largest town in the island. Carpet-weaving and pottery which date back hundreds of years continue to be active. Local customs and morals, folklore and tradition have kept unchangeable the character and civilization of Archagelos. Friendly and hospitable people welcome every visitor. Renovated houses as well as old ones, traditional coffee shops serving "ouzo" (Greek aperitif) and "meze"(titbit taverns and restaurants offering Greek cuisine make up a magnificent holiday place.
Hotels and rooms for rent with family atmosphere make your holiday unforgettable. Banks, Post Office, Health Center, public buses linking Archagelos with every district around Rhodes, cars and motorbikes for hire quarantee a comfortable stay. You can attend performances of folk dances held by the Cultural Association.
Archagelos is a place worth visiting. We are sure that you will come again.
You are welcome.
