The town of Rhodes (Ródos), situated at the northern tip of the island, has been capital of the island since its foundation in 408 B.C., and is now the administrative center of the nomos of the Dodecanese. Laid out on a rectangular grid in accordance with the principles of Hippodamos of Miletus, the ancient city extended from the acropolis hill
in the west to the east coast of the island. Some of the streets in the considerably smaller medieval town (Street of the Knights, Homer Street, Hippodamos Street and Pythagoras Street) still follow the ancient grid. The Knights' town, the Collachium, occupied the northern part of the walled town, with its streets running roughly at right angles. The larger southern part was occupied by Greeks, while the west part became the Turkish quarter and the smaller east part the Jewish quarter, which existed until World War II.
On June 21, the Kelafonon midsummer bonfire festival is held.
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