Palace of the Grand Master hosts jazz festival on 22 October

The Palace of the Grand Master in Rhodes, Greece, is hosting the Rhodes & South Aegean International Jazz Festival from 22 to 25 October 2026. The festival venue is the Palace of the Grand Master, also called the Kastello in English-language heritage material.

The programme gives travellers a specific cultural event inside the Medieval City during the final weekend of October. Its first concert takes place at the palace on 22 October, while later performances move to the Church of the Virgin of the Burgh.

Rhodes jazz festival opens at the palace on 22 October

The Rhodes & South Aegean International Jazz Festival is presented under the artistic direction of Dimitrios Vasilakis. The municipal event listing identifies Jazz Democracy NPO as the organiser and gives the programme dates as 22 to 24 October 2026.

The opening evening at the palace features Sonny & Trane Tribute, titled Fathers & Sons - Two Generations in Jazz, followed by the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Jazz Faculty Ensemble. The programme brings together musicians from the United States, Puerto Rico, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia, Albania, Turkey, Austria and Cuba.

The Greek National Tourism Organisation says the wider festival runs from 22 to 25 October 2026 and includes educational activities, workshops and university collaborations. Admission is free, as stated on the organisation's event page.

The published programme also includes MedMus - Mediterranean Improvisations, an international academic conference held in Rhodes on 23 and 24 October. This connection between live performance and research gives the palace event a wider context than a single concert.

The palace connects jazz with Rhodes medieval history

The Palace of the Grand Master was the administrative centre of the Order of the Knights of Saint John. The official museum authority says it was restored during the Italian occupation in the 1930s, and its upper floor contains mosaic floors from monuments on the island and medieval furniture.

Its ground floor houses permanent exhibitions covering the history of Rhodes from the city’s foundation in 408 BC to the Ottoman conquest in 1522. The festival therefore places a contemporary international music programme inside a museum whose displays trace more than two millennia of local history.

The surrounding Medieval City is part of the UNESCO World Heritage property. UNESCO records that the Knights occupied Rhodes from 1309 to 1523 and transformed the city into a fortified stronghold, with the palace among the principal monuments of the upper town.

The museum authority lists the address as Ippoton Street in the Medieval Town of Rhodes and identifies the Greek Ministry of Culture’s archaeological museum service as the responsible custodian. The same authority provides visitor information for the museum and its exhibitions.

Visiting Palace of the Grand Master: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The festival runs from 22 to 25 October 2026, with the palace concert scheduled for 22 October in Rhodes’ Medieval City.
• The palace hosts the opening concert, while the published programme places later performances at the Church of the Virgin of the Burgh, so not every festival event is inside the palace.
• The venue stands on Ippoton Street in the Medieval Town of Rhodes, within the UNESCO-listed historic city.
• The palace combines a fortified historic setting with museum exhibitions, mosaic floors and medieval furniture, so the visit includes both the concert venue and a heritage collection.

The festival date and venue are confirmed by the Greek National Tourism Organisation listing. The organiser and programme details appear in the Rhodes festival programme.

Searching for Palace of the Grand Master on social platforms

These links open searches for Palace of the Grand Master on each platform.

Frequently asked questions about Palace of the Grand Master

When does the Rhodes jazz festival take place at the Palace of the Grand Master?

The festival runs from 22 to 25 October 2026, with the palace concert on 22 October 2026.

What is the Palace of the Grand Master?

It is a former administrative centre of the Knights of Saint John and now an archaeological museum in Rhodes’ Medieval City.

Where is the Palace of the Grand Master and how do you get there?

The palace is on Ippoton Street in the Medieval Town of Rhodes, within the UNESCO World Heritage property.