April 25 – Bodrum and the Crusader’s Castle

We have three nights here in Bodrum (ancient city of Halicarnassus).  This another city that has a colorful history…Dorian Greek, Achaemenid Persian, Macedonian (Alexander the Great), Greece, Roman, Byzantine, Crusaders, and Ottomans.  For tourists there are two main sights to visit…the Crusader’s Castle and the Mausoleum of Mausolus (the ruler in the area, mid-300’s BC, where we get the word mausoleum).  The mausoleum was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Unfortunately, the mausoleum was closed today so our focus is on the castle.

The castle was built by the Knights of St. John with construction starting in the early 1400’s and completed in the late 15^th century only to be taken over by the Ottomans in 1523. 

We spent time exploring the castle interior.

   

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More Bodrum Castle
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There were good views of the harbor from the castle.

and views across the bay to the windmills.

We could also see the Roman Theater in the far distance.

The castle had a large flock of peacocks.

We visited the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology.  This museum features a boat that was found by local sponge divers.

Later additional boats were found in the area.

 

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     More Underwater Archaeology Museum
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The sea from the castle.

After the castle we hit the streets of the harbor and the nearby old town.  

Statues along the waterfront.

Harbor.

We wandered old town for a while...it was definitely very touristy.

Eventually we found our way to the waterfront on the opposite side of the peninsula.  We found a restaurant with tables right on the water and decided to relax and enjoy some lemonade and a snack.  We actually rested there for quite a long time as the gentle sea breezes and the sound of the surf were very relaxing. 

We didn’t do much else the rest of the day.