Architectural structure, reminiscent of grandiose events and great people of ancient history. Stone walls that keep memories of the culture of our ancestors. All this is about the greatest castle of St. Peter, located in the city of Bodrum, Turkey. This is an attraction whose popularity among tourists is growing every year.
St. Peter's Castle: construction history
Bodrum Castle is a historical landmark, on the territory of which there were many different battles led by famous warriors. The building is considered one of the most remarkable monuments of the city. The full name sounds like this - the castle of St. Peter the Liberator of the Order of the Knights of the Hospital of St. John of Rhodes.
The architectural structure was used as a fortress for more than six centuries and was one of the most visible military garrisons. The complex was built around a small village. Today, St. Peter's Castle in Turkey has becometo the historical museum.
It is believed that King Mausolus from 377 to 353 BC, who led the kingdom of Caria, decided to move the capital from Milasa to Halicarnassus. Subsequently, the mausoleum of the king was located in the fortress. He was one of the seven wonders of the world. But unfortunately, in 1402, as a result of several earthquakes, the great building was destroyed. The crusaders used the remaining debris to build the walls of the fortress.
It is assumed that when the city was captured by Alexander the Great, most of the castle was destroyed. Prior to this, the building was a citadel or fortress. The castle was built on the island of Zephyria in the 15th century by the knights of the Rhodes hospital. The Zephyrion peninsula is small, protected by rocks in the eastern part of Bodrum harbor and connected to the mainland by an artificial embankment. To this day, no one has any idea why the knights built the fortress.
The castle has five towers and seven gates. The highest tower is French, which rises 47.5 meters above sea level. Names of other towers: Italian, German, English and Serpentine. The view from St. Peter's Castle is amazing. There is no doubt that this place was once a historical fortress. The first Grand Master of the Order was the Frenchman Philibert de Nailach. In this regard, the royal arms of France can be found in the North Tower of the castle.
One ofThe main architects of the fortress was a German named Henrik Schlegelholdt. The castle also has traces of Spanish and Italian culture.
One of the main problems of the fortress was that it was subjected to constant sea attacks, which led to great losses and destruction. The people began to realize that in order to protect the island, it was necessary to create a navy. However, the ruling leaders were deaf to the suggestions of the people, and in 1480 the city was besieged and captured by the Ottoman Empire. The Turks did not begin to restore the fortress, in connection with which in 1571 the Turkish fleet was destroyed by the Knights of M alta. The battle is known as the Battle of Lepanto.
Building a prison in the castle
In 1893, Abdulhamid II founded a prison in St. Peter's Castle. The fortress has a complex system of prisons and a torture chamber. After the castle was captured, they were buried underground and forgotten. In 1909, two fanatical Islamic religious people were kept in prison. They were sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with their rebellion. There is a suspicion that they were brutally tortured.
With the advent of the new century, the people faced an increase in the level of crime, mainly robberies. Among the prisoners one could meet many people involved in the activities of Robin Hood - they robbed the rich and helped the poor. One of the most famous leaders called himself Efe.
This period of the existence of the castle is being tried in every way to be forgotten and not mentioned in historical reference books.
History of the Museum
There was a time when St. Peter's Castle was destroyed duringhistorical battles, destruction and bombardment in the First World War. The museum has come a long and difficult way before becoming what it is today.
The first reconstruction was made by journalist Peter Grokdorton in 1958. He tried to recreate history and shed light on what happened in the castle during its existence. Professor George F. Bass of the Department of Scientific Navigational Archeology decided to help restore this structure, making it beautiful and powerful, as in ancient times.
Further, Hakki Gultekin, the former director of the Izmir Museum, took over the reconstruction. He decided to raise this issue at the government level in Ankara. He was assisted in this by Azroy Erhad, known for his translations into Turkish of films such as the Iliad and the Odyssey. This is the first time that the Turkish government has provided a grant to a museum. They allocated the necessary funds to restore the abandoned former prison, its catacombs and turn the castle into a museum.
Under the leadership of director Nurettin Yardimchi from 1973 to 1975 and Ilkhan Aksit from 1976 to 1978, the restoration of the castle slowed down significantly. The English Tower was an exception as the renovation was completed in 1975.
As soon as Oguz Alposen took over the museum in 1978, the process was resumed. At the time, the future director was involved in some of the underwater excavations that helped shape the museum. He was considered a professional in underwater archeology and was very knowledgeable about what he was doing. OnceOguz began to excavate in Bodrum and in the museum, he realized that he was very passionate about the history of this museum and its past. He wanted to know more about shipwrecks in the area. He also made sure that the results of the excavations he found in Bodrum remained here and did not fall into the wrong hands and museums.
When excavations were made between the 60s and 80s, the world realized how many buried treasures and the world's greatest secrets were yet to be discovered.
In 1993, shocking discoveries were made. The remains of a prisoner were found right in front of the English tower. The bodies are believed to have belonged to slaves or people who were tortured to death. This confirms the historical view that the castle housed torture chambers. The victims remain unknown, and why they were placed in this location is also unclear.
To date, 14 exhibition halls have been opened in St. Peter's Castle in Bodrum. It mainly includes underwater artifacts.
Glass Hall
In 1986, a glass hall was opened, which houses an exhibition of glass and glassware. The hall is dark, the exhibits are illuminated from below. This allows you to see all the markings and colors of the glass. The examples on display date from the 14th century BC to the 11th century AD. In the hall there is an aquarium, which is installed in a recess in the wall. It has a small but detailed model illustrating an underwater excavation.
There are many fascinating objects and historical memorabilia herethings that have their own history. Many of the items on display here come from excavations in shipwreck areas and the region.
Amphora Exhibition
Amphora is a simple Roman or Greek jug that is characterized by two handles and a narrow neck. These bottles were mainly used to transport products such as olive oil, olives, wine, grains, almonds and many other bulk products intended for transportation.
The need to manufacture amphora arose when the cargo began to be transported on ships. In order for the goods not to take up much space, sculptors began to create such jars from clay. This dish has become very popular. Each manufacturer created its own unique design. Thanks to this, historians identify amphorae and can determine which century they belong to. Most of the jars were found in the Mediterranean Sea.
To prevent the amphorae from breaking, they were tied up and tightly stacked to each other. This made it possible to transport much more goods at the same time and make a good profit.
Manufacturers left their logos or signatures on the handles of the jug. This helped determine where they came from. For example, if the amphora is of Rhodes origin, it has a pink imprint. A Koan amphora usually depicts a crab on the handle, and a bull's head will be imprinted on an amphora from the Crimians.
Princess Kariya's room
In the room of Princess Caria, you can get acquainted with the rich history of Halicarnassus. Hecatomnidae dynastyruled Caria from 392 BC until Alexander the Great took over the country with his mighty army. Since then, the dynasty has not been able to recover and eventually fell into decline.
In 1989 was discovered in a sarcophagus. While archaeologists usually use brushes and shovels, an excavator was used here. A we althy woman was buried in the tomb. This is evidenced by the large amount of jewelry and jewelry found next to her. It is believed that these riches belonged to Queen Ada, but there is no real evidence of this, and it was not possible to find out what kind of woman is in the sarcophagus.
Tours
You can order a private or group tour online or on the spot. However, familiarization occurs superficially and quickly. Most visitors agree that it is better and more interesting to explore the attraction on your own. You won't get lost or lost, there are signs everywhere.
On the territory of the museum you can rent an audio guide for 200 rubles, which will tell you about the most interesting events.
Work Schedule
Showrooms are closed for viewing on Mondays. Visiting hours are from 9:00 to 16:30 from Tuesday to Sunday. There are additional time restrictions for visitors, so from 12:00 to 13:00 some halls may be closed. The Chapel and the English Tower are always open, without a break for lunch. Before visiting, check if the museum or its individual parts are closed for restoration work.
Reviews andtourist recommendations
After studying the reviews of tourists, we offer you the following recommendations:
- St. Peter's Castle is very hot in summer, so don't visit the museum in the middle of the day.
- It is not possible to buy water on the castle grounds, so bring your own supplies.
- The ticket price includes a visit to the museum of underwater archeology.
- Wear comfortable shoes as sightseeing will take a long time.
In their comments, tourists celebrate the beauty of the ancient world, its way of life and culture. From the top of St. Peter's Castle, the photos are magnificent. By visiting the attraction, you get the opportunity to touch the antiquity, feel the atmosphere of the Middle Ages. And colorful and proud peacocks walking around the territory of the fortress will keep you company.
How to get to St. Peter's Castle in Bodrum
Bodrum has its own airport located about 35 km from the city. From here you can get to the castle by bus, which runs regularly. The journey will take no more than 45 minutes. You can also go by taxi. You will have to pay more than for the bus, but you have to bargain with taxi drivers.
There are two more airports around Dalaman and Izmir. They are located three hours from the city. You can also get to St. Peter's Castle by bus.
