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Bodrum: Things To See & Do
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Castle of St.
Peter
One of Turkey's best
preserved medieval buildings stands proudly on an island in the Bay.
First begun by the Knights of St John, the castle was once the Order's
most vital Eastern stronghold outside of Rhodes, until it was lost to
the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. Today, it houses one of the
world's finest museums of underwater archeology, and the city's most
popular attraction.
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Ephesus
Founded in the 11th century
by the Greeks, this former port was once a centre of trade, culture and
power, until the silting of the harbour and natural disasters combined
to empty the city of its inhabitants. Ephesus was once home to the
famous Temple of Artemis, one of the Wonders of the Ancient World, but
little remains of it now. The remains of rest of the city however are
still magnificent, and are one of the most popular historical
attractions in Turkey. A museum in nearby Seluk holds all the removable
artifacts found during the first archaeological digs. Nearby to Ephesus
is another attraction, the House of the Virgin Mary, where she is said
to have stayed after Jesus Christ was martyred; the site is a popular
pilgrimage site for the devout.
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The Amphitheatre
Situated on a hillside
overlooking the town, this amphitheatre was first begun during the reign
of King Mausolus. In its heyday, it served as the main entertainment
venue for up to 13,000 Roman citizens. Diligently restored, it still
serves its original function today, as Bodrum's annual September
festival is held in the Amphitheatre.
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The Ruins of Priene,
Miletus and Didyma
Located two hours drive north of
the city are the ruins of the ancient Ionian cities, Priene and Miletus.
Miletus was once the greatest of Ionian cities and though in ruins today, it
is still known for its lovely Graeco-Roman theatre. Priene, though smaller,
was once well known for its festivals and its many temples. The Didyma
temple of Apollo was once a major pilgrimage site, where visitors listened
to the prophecies of the priests; though its original purpose has long been
abandoned, the site is being painstakingly restored, and the ruins are
awe-inspiring.
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Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
The only one of the Wonders of
the Ancient World still left standing, this polished stone and marble
structure was built for the tomb of King Mausolus on the orders of his queen
Artemisia. It was considered the most beautiful tomb in the world at the
time. Unfortunately, after surviving intact for over 17 centuries, it was
finally destroyed by a series of earthquakes around 1400 AD, and the
Knights of St. John used the broken pieces of the mausoleum to fortify the
Castle. No one knows what happened to the bodies of the king and queen the
tomb had contained, or of the treasure buried with them, but their fame
lives on, as the name Mausolus, and his magnificent tomb, eventually gave
the English language the word mausoleum.
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