Fabrizio del Carretto

Historic Estate in Old Town Rhodes

The property 5* Fabrizio del Carretto is located within the historic Old Town of Rhodes, near St. George’s Bastion, adjacent to the castle wall in the area once governed by the Spanish Knights.

Named after Fabrizio del Carretto, the Italian nobleman and 43rd Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, whose coat of arms is still engraved on the castle wall within the grounds, the estate consists of three buildings totaling 900 square meters and a 750-square-meter garden.

Enclosed within the castle walls stands a chapel dating back to the Byzantine era. The main building, constructed between the 13th and 14th centuries by the Knights of St. John Hospitaller, once housed Spanish Knights who defended the city during two Ottoman sieges. The property also contained the living quarters of the Spanish Knights and included access routes to the top of the fortification walls.

Numerous Spanish insignia remain visible throughout the estate, engraved on walls and integrated into various architectural elements.

A Site of Historic Conflict

During the second siege of Rhodes in 1522 by the Ottoman Turks, after the attackers planted explosives underground and created a breach in the wall, this strategic area became fiercely contested. It changed hands three times between the Spanish Knights and the Ottoman forces. Ultimately, the Spanish Knights regained and maintained control of the area, marking a key moment in the city’s defence.

After the city eventually fell to the Ottomans, the structures were altered to reflect Arabic architectural influences, and the chapel’s entrance was sealed. During this period, the buildings served as residences for high-ranking Ottoman officials (Pashas) and Muslim religious scholars (Imams).