Everything you might want to know about Marmaris


All about Marmaris
 

According to the historian Herodotus, there has been a castle in Marmaris since 3000 BC. It is not certain when Marmaris was founded, but in the 6th century the city was known as Physkos and considered part of Caria. According to the historian Herodotus, the Carians settled in what is now the province of Mugla after coming from Crete.

They also took over Physkos with its large natural harbour, and used it as a military base for their campaigns against the Phoenicians in present day Rhodes and other Aegean islands.It was part of the Carian Empire in the 6th century B.C. it was overrun by the Lydians in 334 B.C.

It later came under the rule of the Egyptians, Ionians and Dorians successively. The Dorians turned the Carian province into nine city states, including Halikarnassos  (Halicarnassus) and Knidos (Cnidus), which became active trading centre for Anatolia and led to an increase in handicrafts and maritime trade.

They, in turn, were invaded by Alexander the Great (356 - 323 BC), and the castle was besieged. The 600 inhabitants of the town realised that they had no chance against the invading army and burned their valuables in the castle before escaping to the hills with their women and children. The invaders, well aware of the strategic value of the castle, repaired the destroyed sections to house a few hundred soldiers before the main army returned home.

When Alexander's empire fell apart after his death, Lydia went to the major Asian  dynasty, the Seleucids, and when it was unable to maintain its territory in Asia Minor, Lydia fell to the Attalid dynasty of Pergamum. Its last king 133 BC, Attalus III, King of Pergamum , whose predecessors had ruled Caria for 90 years, avoided the spoils and ravage of a Roman conquest war by leaving the realm by testament to the Roman Empire.

The next important event during the history of Marmaris was almost two thousand years later, in the mid-fifteenth century, when the Ottoman Empire began to rise after the efforts of Sultan Mehmet II, who succeeded in conquering and uniting under one banner the various tribes and kingdoms of Anatolia. Some of his greatest difficulties came from the Knights of St. John, who occupied the Dodecanese Islands. Based in Rhodes, the Knights had fought for many years; they were able to withstand the onslaughts of Mehmet II until a succeeding and more powerful Sultan came on the scene.

Physkos became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1425, and the present castle was built in 1521 AD for use in a planned assault on Rhodes. The Ottoman Sultan at the time, Kanuni Sultan Suleyman, changed the name of the town to Mimaras, which then became Marmaris according to the historian and 17th century writer Evlija Celebi. 

Evliya Çelebi also mentions the castle, which was rebuilt by Süleyman The Magnificent in 1522 before he set out for his campaign against the Knights of St. John on Rhodes. When the Sultan found the castle to be too small he ordered his architect to enlarge it before he returned from his campaign.  

Suleyman assembled a fleet of over 300 ships and a force of 200,000 men in the bay of Marmaris to challenge the Knights' headquarters on Rhodes. After manybattles, the Knights had to give up and the Ottomans took over the control of Rhodes for the next 400 years.

Following his return as defeating the Knights, the Sultan discovered the newly expanded castle still unsatisfactory in size. In anger, the Sultan ordered his men to "mimari" - literally meaning " hang the architect".  One claim is that Marmaris is a derivative of this word.  Another claim is that Marmaris was a originally a Greek word meaning "glittering" and "shining" which, if true, is still a very apt description for modern day Marmaris.

There are a number of claims as to the origin of the name of Marmaris.  According to the records of Heredotus, the name originated from Marmarissos. Correspondingly named Mermeris in the records of the famous Turkish sailor Piri Reis, which was known to have been derived from the marble furnaces of Bozburun.  

In recent years, Marmaris has become one of Turkey's most popular seaside resorts, boasting a wide range of facilities, while still retaining its seafaring heritage (Admiral Lord Nelson brought his naval fleet to the town in 1796 to re-supply with provisions on his way to Cairo). 

As for sightseeing, the harbour is overlooked by a 14th century Ottoman castle which houses two museums and is well worth a visit. At the entrance of the narrow street leading up to the fortress there is a caravanserai from the same period bearing an inscription dated 1545. The fortress was partially destroyed when shelled by a French warship in 1914 during the First World War.  

Beginning in 1979, renovation work has been continuing at the castle, in order to restore it to it's original condition. Under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, the castle has been converted into a museum. There are seven galleries, of which the largest is being used as an exhibition hall with an archaeological section displaying objects unearthed during the excavations at Hisarönü and Knidos and Burgas near Datça, an ethnographical section and an art gallery. The courtyard is decorated with seasonal flowers.

Remnants can be found of the city of Physkos and of the former rulers in the vicinity of Asartepe.  The amphitheatre on the outskirts of the town has been rebuilt on the site of an original structure and houses a wide range of open-air concerts and other arts and cultural events during the summer months. 

Marmaris is one of Turkey's major yachting ports and the modern Netsel Marina is reputed to be the best and safest in the eastern Mediterranean is an extremely popular mooring base which has berths for a large number of yachts. 

The International Marmaris Yachting Festival takes place every year in May, the Marmaris Festival in June and the International Marmaris Yacht Race Festival in November. Marmaris is serviced by a domestic and international airport situated at Dalaman (a distance of 90 kms). Hydrofoils and ferries connects Marmaris with the Greek island of Rhodes all year round and to Bodrum during the summer season. 

Nowadays it offers abundant accommodation ranging from small pensions (guest houses) to luxurious 5 star hotels. Hundreds of restaurants, shops, tours, and other entertainment ensure that you will never be bored.

While the beaches are not world class they are more than adequate for children and adults alike. The sand is mostly black sand and a bit gritty. The beaches are not very wide and the top half is covered in sun beds and umbrellas which one can rent for a nominal fee if the hotel/restaurant does not provide them. Many hotels have private beaches and some even truck in very good sand from remote areas. The sea is warm, crystal clear and perfect for swimming. There are some fabulous beaches within half an hours drive. 

Marmaris has a thriving population of ex-pats who are happy with their decision to purchase property and to settle in Marmaris or the surrounding area as they find that, in general, the Turkish people are very kind, generous and friendly and that many of the problems of Western Europe do not exist in Marmaris and if they do exist they are very rare.  One can walk out at night without be overly concerned about being mugged etc.  

Additionally there are many other positive points for living in Marmaris such as the excellent medical and dental facilities which exist - they are much better then one would normally expect for a town of equivalent size in Europe.  It is not unheard of for holidaymakers to book a holiday simply to have dental repairs and medical procedures carried out in Marmaris during their holiday.