Old Castellania Municipal Library, Rhodes. Restored in 1935.
"The Public Library of Rhodes is housed in one of the finest architectural monuments of the Knights of Rhodes, with elements of Renaissance style, the building of Castellania, located in Aristotelous Street in the northeastern tip of Hippocrates square in the medieval town of Rhodes.
After the earthquake of 1481 the Basilica Mercatorum (Royal Market) with the changes made by the Grand Master of the Knights 'D' Amboise and the adding floor, according to the prevailing opinion, operated as a public administration.
During the Turkish occupation, this historical monument was covered by makeshift buildings, which altered its physiognomy. In 1924 a big fire in the center of the Old Town market, became the reason to come again to light the building of Castellania.
The Italians, with architect Florestano Di Fausto, began restoration work that lasted ten years (1925-1935) and with demolishing the makeshift constructions, restore the building to its former luster. The building was subsequently used for university level lecture cycles, but also for propaganda purposes to promote the Annex in Rhodes Italian educational company, «Dante Alighieri».
After incorporation of Rhodes and the Dodecanese in Greece, in the building of Castellania housed the Public Library of Rhodes and the Historical and Folklore Archive of Dodecanese (1947).
With programmatic agreement between the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs, and the Office of the Medieval City of Rhodes City, in the building were extensive procedures for maintenance but mainly for the creation of the new reading room in the atrium of the Library.
The Public Library of Rhodes is already from the first years of its operation in 1947, a spiritual and cultural core of our prefecture. He was one of the first services founded by the then Military Commander Admiral Dodecanese Pericles Ioannides. With the no. 80 proclamation states: "founded in Rhodes Public Library, in order to provide to the inhabitants lights of Greek culture, which deliberately for many years, esterisen the conqueror.""
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Paliá Dimotikí Vivliothíki Kastelánas, Ródos. Anakainístike to 1935.
"I Dimósia Kentrikí Vivliothíki Ródou stegázetai se éna apó ta oraiótera architektoniká mnimeía ton Ippotón tis Ródou, me stoicheía tou anagennisiakoú rythmoú, to ktírio tis Kastellanías, pou vrísketai stin Aristotélous sto voreioanatolikó ákro tis plateías Ippokrátous sti mesaionikí póli tis Ródou.
Metá to seismó tou 1481 i Vasilikí Mercatorum (Royal Market) me tis allagés pou éginan apó tin Megálou Magístrou ton Ippotón D 'Amboise kai tin prosthíki orófou, sýmfona me tin epikratoúsa ápopsi, pou leitourgoún os dimósia dioíkisi.
Katá ti diárkeia tis Tourkokratías, aftó to istorikó mnimeío kalyptótan apó prócheira ktísmata, pou tropopoíise ti fysiognomía tou. To 1924 mia megáli pyrkagiá sto kéntro tis agorás tis Paliás Pólis, égine i aformí gia na érthoun kai páli sto fos to ktírio tis Kastellanías.
Oi Italoí, me architéktona Florestano Di Fausto, xekínisan anastilotikés ergasíes pou diírkese déka chrónia (1925-1935) kai me tin katedáfisi ton aftoschédies kataskevés, tin apokatástasi tou ktiríou tou próin lámpsi tou. To ktírio chrisimopoiíthike sti synécheia gia kýklous dialéxeon panepistimiakoú epipédou, allá kai gia lógous propagándas gia tin proóthisi tou parartímatos sti Ródo italikó ekpaideftikó etaireías, «Dante Alighieri».
Metá tin ensomátosi tis Ródou kai tis Dodekanísou stin Elláda, sto ktírio tis Kastellanías stegázetai i Dimósia Vivliothíki tis Ródou kai to Istorikó kai Laografikó Archeío Dodekanísou (1947).
Me programmatikí sýmvasi metaxý tou Ypourgeíou Ethnikís Paideías kai Thriskevmáton, kai to Grafeío tis Mesaionikís Pólis tis pólis tis Ródou, sto ktírio ítan ektetaménes diadikasíes gia ti syntírisi, allá kyríos gia ti dimiourgía tis néas aíthousas anágnosis sto aíthrio tis Vivliothíkis.
I Dimósia Kentrikí Vivliothíki Ródou eínai ídi apó ta próta chrónia tis leitourgías tou to 1947, éna pnevmatikó kai politistikó pyrína tou nomoú mas. Ítan mía apó tis prótes ypiresíes pou ídryse o tóte Stratiotikós Dioikitís Návarchos Dodekanísou Periklí Ioannídi. Me tin ar. 80 diakíryxi anaférei: «idrýthike sti Ródo Dimósia Vivliothíki, me skopó na paréchei stous katoíkous fóta tou ellinikoú politismoú, pou skópima gia pollá chrónia, esterisen ton kataktití.»"
PIGI - (sýndesmos epískepsis)