A castle built in the area of Malona, on a hill 85 m high between the beaches of Agia Agathi and Haraki. It is also known as Feraklou or Faraklenon Castle. Two building phases can be distinguished: Byzantine and Knightly. The fortification has a polygonal shape, an area of 1,700 m2 and a wall perimeter of 680 m. The N, W and NW sides of the wall belong to the Byzantine phase, while in some parts of the wall there are dents. The ramparts are of a simple rectangular shape. A main gate and two cylindrical towers of the 15th century are also preserved: the N and the SE tower. On the walls are preserved the coats of arms of the Order of the Ioannina Knights as well as of the Grand Master GB degli Orsini. Inside there is still a rectangular cistern. The conquest of the castle by the Knights of St John with the Grand Master Foulques de Villaret (1309-1317) on September 20, 1306 is the first knightly conquest of a castle in Rhodes. Before 1408 the castle was in ruins. Repairs were made under Grand Masters Giovanni Battista degli Orsini (1467-1476) and Pierre d'Aubusson (1476-1503), so that the castle provided protection to the settlement and the fertile hinterland, as well as to the anchorages of Xaraki and Agia Agathi. The castle of Faraklou had visual contact with the castle of Lindos. According to Bosio, in 1470 all the castles of Podos were ordered to be abandoned except for the castles of Lindos and Faraklos, whose fortifications had to be strengthened. The Faraklou castle was one of the three most important fortresses along with those of Podos and Lindos.
Editor: Niki Kalopaidis
