Marmaris Castle is one of the must-see places when you go to Marmaris. Marmaris Castle, one of the most important buildings in the city center and located in Kemeraltı Neighborhood, was first built by the Ionians, but the present castle was built by the Ottomans in 1522.
Evliya Çelebi mentioned Marmaris Castle in his travel book. In the travel book, it is stated that Marmaris Castle was built by Suleiman the Magnificent when he wanted to take Rhodes Island and the castle was used as a military base before the campaign. It is rumored that Suleiman the Magnificent did not like the castle and had its architect hanged and Marmaris was formed from the word architect as.
After the Belgrade Victory, Suleiman the Magnificent, taking advantage of Europe’s preoccupation with its internal affairs, wanted to capture Rhodes for the security of Egypt, Syria and the Eastern Mediterranean coast.
Continuing this intention of Yavuz Sultan Selim, Suleiman the Magnificent started a war against the Knights of Rhodes, who were harming the Ottoman navy, and captured Rhodes on December 21, 1522.
In 1913, when a German ship escaped from the French and took refuge in Marmaris harbor, the French wanted the ship but the Ottomans refused to give it to them. The French then mined the coastline, and the French, angry that the Ottoman soldiers neutralized these mines, fired artillery at the castle.
During World War 1, French warships entering the gulf damaged the castle with artillery fire and landed on land. However, they had to retreat in the face of the defense of Turkish soldiers.
To reach the entrance of the museum, you need to reach the other side of the castle, not the side facing the sea. When you enter, the door opens directly into the courtyard of the castle.
Restored between 1980 and 1990, Marmaris Castle has been serving as the Archaeology Museum since 1991. Various artifacts from the Protohistoric, Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Republican periods are exhibited in the closed spaces used as exhibition halls inside the castle and in the courtyard exhibited as an open exhibition.
The first hall on the right after entering the museum is called Knidos Hall. Artifacts excavated from the ancient city of Knidos in the Datça district of Muğla are exhibited here.
The ancient city of Knidos was an important point in terms of trade, especially during the Alexander Empire, as it was located on the route where grain ships and other boats from Egypt headed north.
Cnidos wine, the main export product, was traded in amphorae. Being a large city with two harbors, many amphorae were found in the city.
In Knidos, coins belonging to Knidos and unique oil lamps were produced for many centuries. These productions are enough to emphasize the importance of trade in the city of Knidos in the Caria region.
When you leave the Knidos Hall and proceed to the right, after the cubes, pedestals and column capitals on the right, you come to the Emecik – Burgaz Hall.
This hall gives you information about amphora types. You can closely examine many amphorae produced in different centers of the Mediterranean. The amphorae give the impression of being in a shipwreck.
The Hall of Stone Artifacts in the other corner is the room with tomb steles. Most of the Roman tombstones, on which their relationship with life is also depicted, include the name of the deceased, the name of the person who built the tomb stele and the age at which the deceased died.
On the upper floor where you climb the stairs, there are coins and terracotta figures found in and around Marmaris.
At the exit of the room, there are Ottoman tombstones on the right side. On these tombstones, there are headdresses such as turban, skullcap, fez, which express the religious and social group to which the deceased belonged.
It is possible to climb the walls of Marmaris Castle. Since these walls are built on a hill dominating the surrounding area, it offers a panoramic view of Marmaris from the walls.
