The Rhodes 9D history film is a 30-minute show at the Throne of Helios cinema on Mandraki harbour, telling the story of the island from the sun god Helios and the Colossus to the Knights of Saint John, in 3D with moving seats, rain, wind and smells. Tours across the rest of the country are listed on Greece Tours.
The sections below cover the tickets you can book, the cinema, the 9D effects, the story and its history, the cartoon, length, languages, who it suits and booking, with links into the Rhodes pages. The show is checked on GetYourGuide.
What is the Rhodes 9D history film?
The Rhodes 9D history film is a short show at the Throne of Helios cinema in Rhodes Town. It tells the story of the island in 3D with moving effects like rain, wind and smells. A session lasts about 30 minutes.
The Throne of Helios combines a cinema hall, a themed area, historical exhibits and screenings. Its main film runs about 20 minutes, and a short cartoon follows.
Guests buckle a seatbelt and wear 3D glasses. The seats move with the action, and the hall adds effects that reach every sense.
The Rhodes 9D history film suits a first day on the island. It gives a quick grounding in the myths, the ancient city and the knights before the sightseeing starts.
Which Rhodes 9D history film tickets can you book?
GetYourGuide lists the Rhodes 9D history film as a 30-minute session, Throne of Helios: The History of Rhodes 9D Experience. Viator sells the same show under the same name. The cinema also sells tickets at its door.
- GetYourGuide: Throne of Helios: The History of Rhodes 9D Experience, 30 minutes
- Viator: Throne of Helios: the History of Rhodes 9D Experience
- The cinema box office on 25th March Street
The GetYourGuide listing calls the venue a unique and modern entertainment centre. It names the cinema hall, the themed area, the historical exhibits and the screenings as its parts.
The hall holds 49 seats. Each Rhodes 9D history film session fills fast in high season, so online tickets fix a place.
Where is the Rhodes 9D history film shown?
The Rhodes 9D history film plays at the Throne of Helios, in the heart of Mandraki harbour. The cinema sits at 25is Martiou 2, 25th March Street. It occupies the old cinema of Saint George.
The building once held the first cinema on the island. The new venue keeps that history alive with modern screens and effects.
Mandraki harbour lies a short walk away. Its entrance is marked by two bronze deer on columns, the symbols of Rhodes.
The medieval walls of the Old Town start a short walk to the south. The Rhodes 9D history film fits neatly before a walk through its gates.
What is Mandraki harbour, home of the Rhodes 9D history film?
Mandraki is the old harbour of Rhodes Town, just north of the medieval walls. Bronze deer on two columns guard its entrance, and three stone windmills line its mole. The Rhodes 9D history film plays on its waterfront.
The deer, a stag and a doe, are the symbols of Rhodes. Legends place the Colossus at this harbour mouth, though no evidence confirms it.
The Fort of Saint Nicholas stands at the end of the long mole. The knights built it to guard the harbour from attack.
Excursion boats to Symi and the east coast leave from the quays. The New Market, with its cafés and shops, faces the harbour across the road.
What does 9D mean in the Rhodes 9D history film?
9D in the Rhodes 9D history film means 3D pictures and sound plus physical effects in the hall. Artificial rain, wind, fire effects, bubbles and smells reach the audience. The seats shake during an earthquake scene.
- 3D pictures through 3D glasses
- Surround sound
- Artificial rain and wind
- Fire effects and bubbles
- Smells that match the scenes
- A shaking earthquake sequence
The earthquake scene recreates the quake that struck the eastern Mediterranean in ancient times. That quake brought down the Colossus of Rhodes.
The seatbelt keeps each guest safe in the moving seat. The effects stop with the film, and the hall lights come up at the end.
What story does the Rhodes 9D history film tell?
The Rhodes 9D history film tells the story of the island from myth to the Middle Ages. It covers Helios the sun god, the gods of Olympus, the Colossus and the Knights of Saint John. It ends with the Ottoman fleet of Suleiman.
The film moves through battles, ancient cities and medieval castles. Each chapter links a scene to a place guests can visit on the island.
The knights ruled Rhodes for more than 200 years. Their rule ended when the fleet of Suleiman the Magnificent besieged and took the city.
- The myth of Helios and the birth of the island
- The gods of Olympus
- The Colossus and the ancient city
- The Knights of Saint John and their castles
- The siege by Suleiman the Magnificent
Who was Helios, the sun god of Rhodes?
Helios was the Greek god of the sun and the patron god of ancient Rhodes. Myth says the island rose from the sea and was given to him. The Throne of Helios cinema and the Rhodes 9D history film both take their name from him.
Helios drove a chariot of fire across the sky each day. The Greeks pictured him crowned with rays of light.
The ancient Rhodians held games and festivals in his honour. The city’s coins showed his head, and his statue became the Colossus.
The back of those silver coins showed a rose. The Greek word for rose, rhodon, gave the island its name.
The Rhodes 9D history film opens with this myth. It shows how the sun god and his island shaped the story that follows.
What was the Colossus of Rhodes?
The Colossus of Rhodes was a giant bronze statue of Helios, one of the Seven Wonders. Chares of Lindos built it, and it stood about 33 metres tall. The Rhodes 9D history film shows its rise and fall.
The statue stood for about 54 years. An earthquake in 226 BC broke it at the knees. Its pieces lay on the ground for centuries.
No one knows where it stood. The old image of the statue astride the harbour mouth is a later legend. The Colossus of Rhodes page covers the debate.
The earthquake scene in the Rhodes 9D history film recreates that ancient quake. The seats shake as the statue falls on screen.
What were the Seven Wonders of the ancient world?
The Seven Wonders were the great monuments listed by ancient Greek writers. The Colossus of Rhodes was one of them. Only the Great Pyramid of Giza still stands, and the Rhodes 9D history film brings the Colossus back on screen.
- The Great Pyramid of Giza
- The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
- The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
- The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
- The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
- The Colossus of Rhodes
- The Lighthouse of Alexandria
Greece held two of the seven. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was the other, a seated figure of gold and ivory.
Who were the Knights of Saint John on Rhodes?
The Knights of Saint John were a military order that ruled Rhodes for more than 200 years. They built the Old Town walls, the Palace of the Grand Master and the Street of the Knights. The Rhodes 9D history film covers their rule.
The Palace of the Grand Master stands at the top of the Old Town. It was the seat of the order’s leader.
The Street of the Knights runs below it, lined with the inns of the order’s national groups.
The knights held off sieges for two centuries. Their rule ended with the long siege by Suleiman the Magnificent, the last scene of the main film.
How did the siege of Rhodes end the knights’ rule?
The army and fleet of Suleiman the Magnificent besieged Rhodes for about six months. The knights held the walls until supplies ran low, then surrendered on terms. The Rhodes 9D history film ends with this siege.
Under the terms, the knights left the island with their arms and records. They sailed west and later settled on Malta, where they became the Knights of Malta.
The walls they defended still ring the Old Town. Guests who watch the Rhodes 9D history film then walk the same walls and gates.
What is The Rhodes Race film?
The Rhodes Race is a short cartoon that follows the main Rhodes 9D history film. It shows a chariot race between the 12 gods of Olympus. The same 9D effects bring the race into the hall.
The cartoon suits younger viewers who find the history film long. Its race, crashes and finish line keep the pace high.
The two films together fill the 30-minute session. Guests stay in their seats between them.
How long is the Rhodes 9D history film, and what is included?
The Rhodes 9D history film session lasts about 30 minutes. The main film runs about 20 minutes, and the cartoon follows. The ticket includes the 3D glasses, the moving seat and entry to the themed area and exhibits.
- Main film: Throne of Helios, about 20 minutes
- Cartoon: The Rhodes Race
- 3D glasses and a moving seat with a seatbelt
- The themed area and historical exhibits
The hall seats 49 guests at a time. A small audience keeps the effects close to every seat.
Guests arrive shortly before the start to collect glasses and find their seats. The show starts on time, since each session follows the next.
Which languages does the Rhodes 9D history film use?
The Rhodes 9D history film runs in at least 13 languages. They include English, Greek, French, German, Italian, Russian, Swedish, Finnish and Czech. Each session runs the film in the chosen language of its audience.
The wide choice of languages reflects the visitors who come to Rhodes each summer. Families with mixed languages each hear the story in their own.
The cartoon relies on action more than words. Young children follow it without a translation.
Who suits the Rhodes 9D history film?
The Rhodes 9D history film suits all ages, from children to grandparents. The educational films stay entertaining, with myths, battles and effects. Families with young children enjoy the cartoon and the water effects.
The moving seats and the earthquake scene shake hard for a short time. The shaking lasts only a short scene, and the rest of the film moves gently.
More family outings in Rhodes are covered on the Rhodes with kids page. The film also works on a hot afternoon, inside a cool hall.
How does the Rhodes 9D history film fit with a day in Rhodes Town?
The Rhodes 9D history film fits at the start of a day in Rhodes Town. It gives the background to the Old Town, the Palace of the Grand Master and the acropolis. The cinema sits close to the harbour and the old town gates.
- The Old Town and the Palace of the Grand Master, a short walk south
- The acropolis of Rhodes on Monte Smith
- The Archaeological Museum of Rhodes in the old knights’ hospital
- The Rhodes aquarium at the northern tip of the town
The Rhodes hop on hop off bus stops near Mandraki. It links the cinema with the rest of the town’s sights.
How do you book the Rhodes 9D history film?
Book the Rhodes 9D history film online through GetYourGuide or Viator, or buy tickets at the cinema. The hall has 49 seats, so online booking fixes a session time. Arrive early to collect the glasses.
Show the ticket on a phone at the entrance. Staff hand out the 3D glasses and show guests to their seats.
Sessions run one after another through the day. A later slot works when an earlier one is full.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you get wet at the Rhodes 9D history film?
The artificial rain and bubbles land as a light spray. Clothes stay dry enough for a walk in town afterwards. Guests who want to avoid the spray keep a light jacket over their shoulders.
Do you keep the 3D glasses?
No. Staff hand out the 3D glasses at the entrance and collect them at the end of the session. Guests who wear prescription glasses place the 3D glasses over their own.
Is the Throne of Helios a museum?
It is an entertainment centre with a museum side. The cinema hall shows the films. The themed area and the historical exhibits add displays on the island’s past. The films stay the main draw.
Was the earthquake in the film real?
Yes. A real earthquake struck Rhodes in 226 BC and brought down the Colossus. The film recreates it with shaking seats, sound and pictures, so guests feel a version of the event.
What does the name Throne of Helios mean?
The name honours Helios, the sun god who inspired the venue. He was the patron god of ancient Rhodes. The cinema presents the Rhodes 9D history film as a seat at his throne, looking down on the story of his island.
Where can you see real finds from ancient Rhodes?
The Archaeological Museum of Rhodes shows statues, pottery and grave goods in the old Hospital of the Knights. The acropolis on Monte Smith keeps a stadium and a temple. The acropolis of Lindos rises above the island’s east coast.
Can you see the remains of the Colossus?
No remains of the Colossus survive in Rhodes. The bronze was sold off for scrap in the early Middle Ages. Visitors see the deer statues at Mandraki, which stand at the harbour mouth today.