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Archive for the Category »Bodrum «
The history of the city begins with the Dors who first established it. The city was a part of the Doran city federation. In the 6th-7th centuries B.C. it was under the rule of Lydia. In 546 B.C. following the triumph of the Persians against the Lydian king Croesus, the city became a Persian province which was administered from Milas. The satrap Mausolos (377-353 B.C.) declared Halicarnassos a place of residence. After his death, his sister who was also his wife, Artemisia, ruled. It is she who built the mausoleum ‘which is one of the seven wonders of the world. In the 4th century 3.C. Alexander the Great conquered the city. In the 3rd century B.C. after his death the city fell into the hands of his commanders Ptolemaus and Seleukos). In 129 3.C. it became a pari of the Asian Province. In 80 B.C. the Roman governor of Cilicia, Verres, looted Halicamassos, destroying the forks of art in the city. From then on. the city never regained its former importance. The crusaders of the Johanniter-order on their way back from the Promised Land over Rhodes to Halicarnassos, established a castle on the peninsula in 1402. In 1522, the Johanniters were banished first from Rhodes and then from Halicarnassos.
The most famous citizen of Halicarnassos was Heredot, the “Father of History”, who lived in the 5th century B.C.
Bitez is one the least pretentious bays on the frequently pretentious Bodrum Peninsula. The beach and the sea are beautiful, and prices in the hotels and restaurants are very reasonable compared to those in other nearby resorts. It’s a place for doing very little and is especially good for families with children.
Also known as “Ağaçlı” (the Place of Trees), Bitez is a favorite with people who enjoy swimming in pristine waters, and are in search of a peaceful holiday. Despite the newly built hotels and apartment complexes, this little bay somehow manages to hang onto much of its beauty. The beach is lovely, and although the local authorities have permitted the hotels and restaurants to put out cushions, chairs and tables, they have also insisted that they allow free access to the sands, which means that you can take your towel and suntan lotion and set up camp wherever you like.
If you wine and dine at the restaurants that provide “beach accommodation” during the day, all is well and good. If not, no one asks you to buy anything. In short, you are at a public beach that has a “beach clup” feel to it. The sea is great and very shallow, which is what makes Bitez so popular with families, who have small children.
A popular folk song refers to a “Bitez yalısı”. The word “yalı” generally means a seaside mansion in Turkish, but in this particular song it refers to a beach in Bitez. A story tells how the lovers Gülsüm and Halil decided to run away together to the island facing the town. Halil had killed his sister and Gülsüm was married to another man, who was Halil’s close friend. Halil had served seven years in prison and was still on probation when the couple decided to meet at Bitez yalısı. A boatman got word of their escape, and informed the authorities, and Halil was caught and killed in the dungeon below the Belediye (Municipality) building. It was Gülsüm and Halil’s great love that inspired this folk song. Years later, the Belediye held a sculpture competition and erected the winning statue at the point where Gülsüm and Halil tried to embark.
The castle was built by the Knights Hospitaller of Rhodes in the 15th century; its former name, the “Petronium”, eventually evolved into Bodrum. Not only is the building itself absolutely magnificent, but the museum inside is spectacular, with its contents displayed in an inviting, modern way. One of the most interesting sections displays the remains of the Carian princess Ada, who was buried with all her golden finery in the 4th century BC. The award-winning Museum of Underwater Archeology has a beautifully displayed collection of some of the oldest shipwrecks ever dredged from the seabed.
The celebrated Turkish author known as the Fisherman of Halicarnassus was imprisoned in the castle for three years from 1924 to 1927. Even after being pardoned, he contiuned to live beside the Aegean, until his death in 1973, when he was buried in Bodrum. As you walk through the castle, you cannot help but ponder his punishment it might even have been a blessing to live here…