Fair-minded as always, Zeus decided to divide the land justly among the gods; all the gods gathered there except for Helios, the Greek god of the sun, who needed to be absent and was therefore excluded of the share. Later on, Helios became highly disappointed and complained to the ruler, so rightful Zeus promised Helios to gain the land which would emerge from the sea right in the next morning.
Time passed and just when the first rays of light were beginning to show, a piece of land began to spring out of the Aegean Sea… Cheerfully, Helios jumped into the island's crystal-clear waters, filling it with light and making it the brightest island of the Mediterranean!
Helios then chose the nymph Rhodes, a daughter of Poseidon, to lay with and they gave birth to seven sons. Fully enamored, Helios named the picturesque island Rhodes after his maid.
The Sun God has always been very popular in Rhodes; around 300 BC the Rhodians built a cult statue in order o praise the Sun God which they named the Colossus of Rhodes. It was said to be a gigantic bronze statue of around 30 meters length, which stood at the entrance of that island's main harbor. The Colossus of Rhodes was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The island of Rhodes is a major international tourist destination with unique medieval settings, sandy beaches and a glamorous, lively lifestyle.