Description of the attraction
In the very center of the rocky peninsula, on a cliff, there is an ancient fortress, which is surrounded by small houses with shops. According to Herodotus, the castle was built by the Ionians in 3000 BC. A city arose inside the castle, which over time expanded over the hills and reached the sea itself.
During the Hellenistic era, Alexander the Great attacked Caria, the castle was surrounded. The inhabitants of the city realized that they would not be able to repel the attack of a powerful army and decided to set fire to the castle and hide from it. The invaders understood that the castle was strategically important, so they rebuilt some of its destroyed parts. Before returning to their homeland, the invaders left several hundred soldiers in the castle.
In 1522, Sultan Suleiman the First ordered the rebuilding of the castle. After fortification, the castle, together with the harbor, became an additional military base for the Ottoman navy. During the First World War, the castle was shelled by the French army and badly damaged.
Already in 1979, it was decided to restore the original appearance of the castle, in connection with which work began on the restoration of the structure. The castle was opened for public visits on May 18, 1991. By the decision of the Turkish Ministry of Culture, the castle became a museum. The archaeological part of the exposition was placed in the courtyard of the fortress, and the ethnographic part is located inside the castle. The castle-museum has seven galleries. The largest gallery houses an exhibition hall. The entire gallery and courtyard are decorated with flowers.
The first gallery is dedicated to the seventh President of Turkey - Kenan Evren. Here you can see his awards and gifts. The second gallery contains ancient artifacts that were found during archaeological excavations. The third gallery, made in ethnographic style, is a traditional Turkish house. In the fourth gallery - the working room of the commander of the castle. The castle houses several old cannons and stone cannonballs, as well as huge anchors that stand against the wall.
Various artistic and cultural events are often held within the walls of the castle. The castle's bastions offer a magnificent panorama of the port, the bay and the city itself.
