Marine Gate

The monumental Marine Gate, at the centre of the sea wall, is an early work of Aubusson (1478). It is a gatehouse 6 metres higher than the wallwalk, with  round flanking towers. They contain rooms in three tiers, starting at ground level. The rooms on the first floor are connected by a narrow passage which ran alongside the slot of the portcullis. The rooms at the lower levels were accessible through trapdoors from the twin guardrooms above, which contained fireplaces and also had access to the wallwalk; the southern access was further secured by a drawbridge. A spiral staircase inside the masonry of the north guardroom led to the crenellated platform of the gatehouse, also defended by machicolations.

The towers are decorated with mouldings and the two faces of the gate, front and rear, are decorated with relief figures, heraldry and commemorative inscriptions. Most impressive is the sculpture facing the sea: under a gothic baldaquin stands a full-figure Virgin between John the Baptist and saint Peter. The royal arms of France under the Virgin, patroness of France, recall the financial aid king Louis XI secured for the walls of Rhodes through a Jubilee obtained from pope Sixtus IV in 1477. Under the figure of John is set  a shield with the cross of the Hospital, and under that of Peter the arms of Pierre d'Aubusson. The inscription below the heraldry is half-effaced today, but it read R(everendus) D(ominus) F(rater) Petrus d' Aubusso(n) Rhodi mag(iste)r has turres erexit M CCCC LXX VIII.

A covered passage 14 metres long, probably added in the Turkish period, conceals from passers-by the decoration at the rear of the gate. It is much more discreet, with an angel holding the shields of the Order and Aubusson, above an inscription identical to the one on the other side.

Masters of the Order known to have contributed to the fortifications of Rhodes:

*Often the arms of the master are displayed quartering the cross of the Order.

Order of the Hospital/ of St. John of Jeru salem: religious order dedicated to the care of pilgrims in the Holy Land, founded shortly before the First Crusade; its military character developed in the 12th century.

Tongue: the international military order of St. John was organized along national lines, the nations generally distinguished by their mother tongue- thus first seven and then eight tongues. For historic reasons the French Knights were represented by three tongues, Provence, Auvergne and northern ʽFranceʼ; and, from 1462, Iberian (ʽSpanishʼ) Knights by two, Castile and Aragon. The remaining tongues were Italy, England and Germany.