The Village of the Dwarfs ~ Griffmonsters Great Rhodes Walks

Rhodes Dwarf Village and Lake

A walk to discover the Village of the Dwarfs

Hidden in the hills of Rhodes lies the ruined “Village of the Dwarfs” — a mysterious medieval site wrapped in alchemical folklore and centuries-old legend. Read the folklore and the relevant historic facts. Take in the amazing countryside which includes the Lake of the Dwarfs. Hopefully this will tempt you to mount your own search of discovery.

Rhodes Dwarf Village and Lake - Essential Information

Walk Statistics (calculated from GPX):

Start location: Near Embonas
Distance: km ( miles)
Total Gain: metre ( ft)
Total Descent: metre ( ft)
Min Height: metre ( ft)
Max Height: metre ( ft)
Walk Time:
Walk Grade: moderate
Terrain: track and footpath

Maps:

The following maps and services can assist in navigating this route. There are links to printed maps and links to downloadable GPX route data for importing into navigational software and apps.

GPX Route File

Route Verification Details

Date of Walk: 06/10/2025
Walk Time: 10:00:00 to 12:30:00
Walkers: Griff, Kat
Weather Conditions: Warm, blue skies with some cloud

Walk Notes

Introduction

This walk was inspired by a story once related to me of a Rhodian village near a lake that had been inhabited solely by dwarfs during medieval times. It took quite some time, effort, and research to pinpoint the location of this mysterious settlement. In 2025, we finally set out to find the Village of the Dwarfs and its accompanying lake.

It should be noted that the GPX is for the full there and back route, which is 7.4 km (4.6 miles) in total.

The landscape that surrounds the Village of the Dwarfs

Finding the Route

There are several tracks leading to the area which is on the western side of the road that connects Salakos and Embonas. The shortest route begins near the Argires Snack Bar, opposite the junction to Profitis Ilias, though this route bypasses the lake. Another option lies just south of the Apollona turn, but there did not appear to be a convenient place to park when passing this on previous reconnaissance drives. It’s also worth noting that tracks ascend from Mandriki on the coast, though this would likely be a longer and more physically demanding route.

The route we finally chose had a starting point closer to Embonas, where the road curves sharply around a small hill crowned by the Chapel of St Nicolas (Παρεκκλήσι Αγίου Νικολάου). There is ample parking here, and the track is under 500m up the road. This passes both the lake and the village although it entails a linear there and back route.

Rocky cliffs and a valley that runs adjacent to the track

The Folklore

The tale of the Village of the Dwarfs dates to the mid-15th century, when the island of Rhodes was ruled by the Order of the Knights of St John. During this period, alchemists from across Europe travelled to the island to offer their expertise, which was welcomed by the Grand Master of the Order.

Rhodes held particular interest for alchemists because it was said to be the only place where a particular species of the Mandragora plant grew. This perennial herb, a member of the nightshade family, is known for its purple flowers, its small golden-red fruit, and its thick, forked root that resembles a human form. It has a long history in folklore and traditional medicine, but also known to be a toxic, hallucinogenic narcotic with supposed magical properties.

According to legend, many of these alchemists were accompanied by dwarf assistants who added spectacle to their demonstrations of “alchemical magic.” Impressed by their performances, the Grand Master is said to have provided the dwarfs with a settlement in the hills, where they were provided with small, dwarf-sized stone houses from where they could gather herbs and Mandragora for use in alchemical experiments. The site became known as Χωριό των Νάνων (the Village of the Dwarfs), and the nearby lake as Λίμνη των Νάνων (the Lake of the Dwarfs).

Many claimed the dwarfs possessed magical powers of their own. Whether or not this was true, we will never know — for as the years passed and the Muslim armies ousted the Knights in 1522, the dwarfs disappeared. All that remained were the stone houses that gradually fell into ruin and the stories of this village that were passed down through generations.

The Historical Reality

Both the village and the lake still exist today. The village lies in ruins but remains recognisable as a cluster of small stone dwellings. The lake, a natural feature, is fed by a stream rising on the mountainside opposite and draining toward the sea at Mandraki.

Originally, the lake was a small hollow that held water for only a few months each year. In 1926, a landslide created a natural embankment, increasing its depth. During the pre-World War II years, the Italians reinforced the dam with concrete, creating a lake about 15 metres deep. Later modifications reduced the depth to the present four metres. Bearing this in mind, the present day lake does not resemble the wetland that would have been here in the 15th century.

The story of the alchemists and their dwarf assistants fits the wider European pattern of the 1400s. Alchemists often toured courts and palaces demonstrating their craft, seeking wealthy patrons. Their displays combined genuine proto-scientific skill with theatre and illusion.

At the same time, dwarfs were common figures in courtly life — serving as entertainers, companions, and symbols of curiosity and wonder, particularly in Italy, Burgundy, and Spain. It is entirely plausible that alchemists employed dwarfs to enhance the drama of their performances.

However, there is no historical documentary evidence of a colony of dwarfs in Rhodes, nor of a mass arrival of alchemists there at that time. Despite numerous searches in Greek and English sources, I found no record of such a settlement recorded or written about apart from in the retelling of the folklore itself.

The earliest published account appears to come from Tsapogas Miltos in 2007, an author who recorded his thoughts when he revisited the legend after hearing of it locally. He cites Anna Achiola, President of Medieval Rhodes and an authority on the Medieval history of the island, who wrote:

It is very possible that the dwarfs did not arrive on the island by chance at all. The time of their appearance seems to match the arrival of the alchemists, who toured the western courts demonstrating their abilities. Perhaps the dwarfs followed these alchemists — many of whom travelled with dwarf companions — to impress the Grand Master of the Order and to collect the famous mandrake of Rhodes.

Achiola also notes that the Knights of St John collaborated with alchemists influenced by esoteric philosophy, as suggested by alchemical symbols found on tombs of the period. Among these 15th century visitors, the English alchemist George Ripley is said to have worked briefly on Rhodes before leaving due to clerical opposition, while Isaac Hollandus, the author Verbum Dimissum and The Book of Chemistry of may have lived his final years here, dying in 1490.

While none of this confirms the existence of a dwarf village populated by alchemist assistants, it does show that all the elements of the folklore were in place at that point in history to have made this a real possibility.

The Walk

The sign at the head of the track that leads to the Dwarf Lake, it is very hard to read from a distance.

In the weeks before arriving on Rhodes, I plotted several possible routes to reach the so-called Village of the Dwarfs. Which path we would take depended on parking and terrain.

On the day, we parked near the Chapel of St Nicolas (Παρεκκλήσι Αγίου Νικολάου), just off the road to Embonas, where the road sweeps in a semicircle around the chapel grounds — a fine spot to begin. From here, a short walk led us to a track signposted, in faded paint, ΝΑΝΟΙ ΛΙΜΝΗ (“Dwarf Lake”), reassuring us that we were heading in the right direction.

The landscape here is dominated by rocky cliffs to the south and a forested valley below. The broad, twisting track descends gently through pine forest, offering shade and easy walking. After nearly 1 km, a side path led off with a waymarker pointing to the lake — a welcome surprise, as this hadn’t been visible on the satellite images used for planning.

The track is wide and easy to walk as it steadily descends

After another 350 metres, we caught our first glimpse of the Lake of the Dwarfs. Through a gap in the dense foliage, I scrambled down to the shore to admire the view. I had half-expected to find tiny stone houses clustered around the water’s edge, but none were visible. In the 15th century, the lake would have been smaller, and any structures near the shore are now long submerged.

Following the track above the lake, we found few other vantage points. Eventually, our way forward was blocked by a tall fence and locked gate — a pity, as it could have offered a circular route linking the lake and the village.

Retracing our steps, we climbed steadily uphill and were rewarded with panoramic views of the entire lake — a truly satisfying sight. A long lake in the depths of the valley surrounded by forest with the trees and the sky reflecting from its water. It was a moment to stand and savour the scene.

The Lake of the Dwarfs as viewed from above

We continued onwards, the track still broad and easy to navigate as it twisted and turned with a gradual descent to where it met a junction with another track, this being the track that linked in from the the Argires Snack Bar at the turn with the road up to Profitis Illias. We turned a sharp left to follow the track descending a little more steeply as it closed in on the village.

The first building we came to was a small chapel with thick, slanting side walls and a pitched stone-tile roof. Inside, icons lined the walls, though there was nothing to indicate its dedication. Later I confirmed it to be the Church of Archangel Michael Panormitis (Ιερός Ναός Αρχαγγέλου Μιχαήλ Πανορμίτη Χωριού Νάνων). As with many such chapels on the island, its immaculate upkeep makes it difficult to gauge its age but judging by its outer appearance with the thick walls, and using stone for the roof, I guess this was old. Centuries old? Maybe.

Interior of the Church of Archangel Michael Panormitis

A little farther on, we took a left fork which led down to the ruins which were plain to see from some distance. This was the legendary Village of the Dwarfs. A terrace of tumbledown stone cottages lined the track. Behind this were more ruins up the hillside. Maybe a dozen or more. The ground was strewn with stones. Weathered timber lintels retained the outline of windows and doors. In some, timbers were fallen from either roof or another floor. Some walls bore holes that may have once held joists for an upper floor. The houses were small, there is no doubt about that. The doors were small, and I had to duck to get inside to see a wilderness of drying grasses that has sprouted across the floor.

To be honest I had expected the doors to be smaller as they would have easily accommodated a 5ft dwarf! But then I notice that the threshold had eroded and given that the step would have been there, it would have reduced the size of the opening. It seemed strange to see the timbers on such an ancient structure, I would have thought these would have decayed, but, on reflection, Rhodes has a very dry climate and maybe this is why they have been somewhat preserved. Then there is the nails. Some of the timbers have nails, as can be seen in the image below. These clearly look like more modern manufactured nails but then a little more research provided me with images of medieval nails and although these would have been wrought iron, they are very similar to what is in these timbers.

Some visitors claim these ruins are no more than animal shelters, but that seems unlikely. Stone barns rarely include windows, and the remains here clearly had the remains of window openings. These all appear to be small houses for small people. Dwarfs maybe.

We left with the lingering sense that this might truly have been a Village for Dwarfs. Apart from a few modern buildings higher on the track, the ruins stood alone amid the landscape — quiet, atmospheric, and evocative.

An example of a door to one of the houses in the Village of the Dwarfs. I am standing to take this, looking down on this door

Interior of one of the houses in the Village of the Dwarfs

A comparison of another door to one of the houses in the Village of the Dwarfs - this was somewhat smaller as there was a threshold to climb over

Reflection

Whether or not the legend is true, the folklore gives this forgotten hamlet a soul. The blend of myth, history, and imagination is what makes places like this so compelling.

As for me — I’m content to let the folklore stand. It’s the story that led me here, and that, in itself, feels like a kind of magic.

looking back towards the Village of the Dwarfs

References

The following sources were referenced in the construction of this article:

Directions

Navigate from Salakos to Embonas by car, to where the road curves sharply around a small hill with a turn on the right before the bend signposted to the Chapel of St Nicolas. Park here.

From the chapel, proceed back down to the road and continue walking for roughly 500m to where a track leads off on the left
Keep to the track for 1km where there is a path on the left and a signpost for the lake pointing from across the track
Walk down this small track for some 350m to find the first vantage point of the lake. Continue if you wish, but return back to the main track when desired
Continue along the main track which will eventually provide views of the lake from above
Continue until there is a junction with another track. Turn left.
You will pass a chapel on the right, after this take the left fork and the Village of the Dwarfs is around the slight curve.
Return the way you came

Summary of Document Changes

Last Updated: 2025-11-12

2025-11-12 : Initial publication

Griffmonsters Great Rhodes Walks

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Wednesday, 12 November 2025