Castle of the Knights of St. PeterThe port town of Bodrum, known as Halicarnassos in ancient times, was home to one of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World”, the Mausoleum (377-352 B.C.). Today, it is acknowledged to be one of the best cruising areas in Europe and has become a popular resort area due to its rich history, crystal clear waters and friendly people. Bodrum is situated on a peninsula facing the island of Kos, and is the hometown of Heredotus. Some know Heredotus as the “Father of History”, but to others he is known as the “Father of Lies” because of his fanciful travel accounts.
Your day will focus on the exploration of the Castle of St.Peter, the most prominent feature of Bodrum. Occupying over 30.000 square feet at its base, construction of this castle took years to complete. The castle was built partly from the left remains of the mausoleum of Mausolus which had collapsed as the result of an earthquake. The mausoleum of Mausolus was so large that it was included among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The castle’s huge exterior walls were designed in the early 15th century and were strengthened by five towers known usually as the English tower, the Italian tower, the German tower, the French tower and the Snake tower. One of the exclusive halls visited on your trip to the castle will be the Carian Princess Hall, which houses the remains of Princess Ada, the sister of King Mausolos which is included in your tour. Today the castle’s rooms are used as a museum where samples from the Bronze Age, Mycenaean, Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine period are exhibited. The castle also houses the largest Underwater Archeological Museum in Turkey. It is one of the few of its kind in the world. It has a vast collection of artifacts, but the most popular attractions are the underwater section, Amphora exhibition and late Roman ship wreck.

Send Request