The citadel of Lindos was inhabited from the 4th millennium BC and on while the worship of Athena is documented from the 9th c. B.C.
In the 6th c. B.C. during the tyranny of Kleovoulos, one of the seven sages of antiquity, important infrastructure works were undertaken in the city and the temple of Athena was built on the acropolis, which was established as a place of worship.
Its famous sanctuary remained throughout the Hellenistic and Roman periods a center of worship, as evidenced by the portico, the propylaea, the relief stern of a warship [triimiolia], and a number of platforms and tributes.
Continuation in the Byzantine years is documented by the early Christian basilica [6th c. AD], the Byzantine temple [12th -13th c. AD] and the fortifications. The Knights of the Order of St. John captured the castle in 1307 and built the headquarters. The fortified character of the citadel, a safe haven in times of crisis, was preserved in the Byzantine, medieval and Ottoman periods. The castle was handed over to the Ottomans in 1522 and until 1844 was established there a guard.
Extensive excavations were undertaken in the early 20th century by the Danish Mission and restoration work during the Italian occupation. The Hellenic Ministry of Culture has been carrying out a systematic study and restoration of the monuments since 1985.