The Bodrum Guide

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TO LIVE HISTORY AND MYTHOLOGY IN BODRUM

The boundaries of Caria, the land of Carians and Lelegs, are those of the boundaries of the Muğla province today. The Carians are famous for seafaring and militarism and boast a number of military innovations in ancient times.

According to recent studies, the history of Caria dates back to the Neolithic age. Thanks to archeological digs and researches carried out in The Caria Region, we can trace the history of the region starting from the Neolithic Age paintings on rocks at the Latmos Mountains up to Present day. Caria was the birthplace  of Herodotus, the father of history; Artemisia I, the well-known queen and first woman admiral in history; Mausolos who built one of the Seven Wonders of the World in Halicarnassus and queen Ada who ruled the area for a while. In Caria, You follow the steps of Persian Armies who conquered the region, you will feel lost in the time tunnel in the highlands of southwest Anatolia while tracking the footprints of Alexander the Great. While visiting the sacred areas, temples and ancient cities of Caria, you will be fascinated by this mysterious and not yet fully discovered Anatolian civilization.

This time Bodrum does not only invite you to enjoy its sun and sea, but also to discover the sacred shrines and ancient cities of Caria and to find out the mystery of the thousands of shipwrecks lying at the bottom of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas

MAUSOLEUM:

One of the seven wonders of ancient times, the Mausoleum is the tomb of Mausolos who was the Carian Satrap in 4th century BC. It was built by the Anatolian architect Pytheus and many prominent artists of ancient times worked on the creation of this great structure. The Mausoleum was destroyed during a big earthquake and its architectural pieces and stones were used in the construction of the Bodrum Castle by the Knights of Saint John. The place of the Mausoleum had disappeared in time. It was discovered under Bodrum houses by the English archaeologist Newton, who started searching the monument upon the descriptions of renowned Roman architect Vitruvius’ reports.  The statues and the noteworthy architectural pieces were moved to the British Museum. With its monumental architecture and the statues and reliefs created by the famous artists of its time, the Mausoleum was acknowledged as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is one of the most important structures that help us understand the Caria Civilization and Halicarnassus.

ANTIQUE THEATRE:

It is a magnificent artistic structure commissioned by Mausolos in 4th century BC after Halicarnassus became the capital city of the Caria Satrapy. With is a horseshoe design leaning on a slope and its capacity of 13,000 seats, it is one of the oldest and most prominent theatres in Anatolia. It was first restored by Prof. Dr. Ümit Serdaroğlu and later within the frame of the restoration of the city walls. Today the theatre is used for concerts and cultural activities.

MYNDOS GATE:

It is the city gate of Halicarnassus facing to the ancient city of  Myndos (Gümüşlük).  When Alexander the Great came to conquer Halicarnassus in 334 BC, he finds out that Halicarnassus is very well protected with a strong city wall and a Persian fleet. During the excavations at the Myndos Gate where fierce struggles between Macedonian and Persian Armies took place, ditches to drive away the war machines of ancient times have been found. The gate at which the skirmishes detailed by writers of ancient times took place and the late Roman necropolis next to it are the silent witnesses of Bodrum’s rich history.