The island of Rhodes was fortunate to be photographed more than any other. Nature endowed it with exceptional natural beauties, and history blessed it with legends and traditions renowned throughout the world.

The purpose of this book is to cover a period of one hundred years, from 1850 when the first photograph is estimated to have been taken there, until 1950, a year that marks the end of centuries of slavery following the events of liberation and integration with Greece.

The difficulties of this endeavor were twofold. On the one hand, there was a lack of sufficient sources about the lives and actions of photographers from that time, and on the other hand, the abundance of photographs from professional and amateur photographers that needed to be identified and dated. Thus, it was decided to publish the most significant photographs of the city and the countryside, most of which come from my personal collection.

The remaining ones were sourced from museums and institutions in Greece and abroad, from collector friends and relatives of the old local photographers. The intention was primarily to highlight the images, so the photographs were placed in a chronological and thematic sequence, embellished with small selective texts from travelers and writers of the time.

However, this effort would not be complete without a reference to the photographers, these unsung heroes to whom we owe all these unique captures of time. Destined to be behind the camera, the photographer locks time away, immobilizes it, and hands it to us captured on photographic paper.

Thus, each of them narrates a story, which may later prove to be a valuable source of knowledge about the past. A story seen clearly as illuminated by the sun, and they, among others, were the first to see Rhodes of the last century change and transform.