UNESCO sites in the South Aegean Islands, Greece

The European country of Greece is renowned for its islands, of which it has an estimated 6,000. To the south-east of the mainland can be found the South Aegean Islands of the Dodecanese and Cyclades, which are home to three Cultural World Heritage sites.

The largest of the Dodecanese Islands, Rhodes was an important power in Antiquity, due to its strategic location on the major maritime routes of the Mediterranean, at the crossroads of the East and West. In the northeast of the island is the medieval city of the same name.

The Order of St John of Jerusalem occupied Rhodes from 1309 to 1523 and transformed the city into a stronghold which was able to withstand a number of terrible sieges. Eventually, however, the island came under Turkish then Italian rule, before being awarded to Greece in 1947.

With magnificent structures such as the Palace of the Grand Masters and the Great Hospital, the Upper Town is one of the most beautiful urban ensembles of the Middle Ages. In the Lower Town, Gothic architecture coexists with mosques and other buildings from the Ottoman period.

According to Greek mythology, the island of Delos was the birthplace of Apollo, the son of Zeus. As one of the most important gods in the Hellenic pantheon, pilgrims travelled from all over Greece to visit his sanctuary, which was made up of three different temples.

This tiny island in the Cyclades archipelago bears unique witness to the civilisations of the Aegean world from the 3^rd millennium BC onwards and, in particular, provides an outstanding illustration of a prosperous Mediterranean trading port from the 2^nd and 1^st centuries BCE. 

Delos had considerable influence on the development of architecture and monumental arts during the Greco-Roman period and, as one of the first Greek sites to catch the attention of archaeologists, has played an important role in furthering our knowledge of ancient Greek art.

The World Heritage site of the Historic Centre (Chorá) with the Monastery of Saint-John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse on the Island of Pátmos constitutes an excellent example of a traditional Greek Orthodox pilgrimage centre of outstanding architectural interest.

The Cave of the Apocalypse is where, according to tradition, St John dictated his Gospel and the Book of Revelation to his disciple, Prochoros. This holy place attracted a number of small churches, chapels and monastic cells, creating an interesting architectural ensemble.

The town of Chóra was founded in the early 13^th century, when people who were working for the monastic community settled around the monastery. The oldest settlement on the island, its many religious and secular buildings are extremely well-preserved.