Everything about Marmaris totally explained
Marmaris is a port city and a tourist destination on the
Mediterranean coast, located in southwest
Turkey, in the
Muğla Province.
Marmaris' main source of income is
tourism. Despite a construction boom in the 1980s, Marmaris still retains its charm due to the exceptional natural beauty of its location. The district's population is 18 000 (2005) and estimated to reach 300,000–400,000 people during the tourism season.
It is also a major centre for
sailing, possessing two major and several smaller marinas. It is a popular wintering location for hundreds of cruising boaters. There are regular ferry services to the Greek island of
Rhodes, and large cruise ships call at the port.
History
Although it isn't certain when Marmaris was founded, in the
6th century BC the city was known as Physkos, and considered part of
Caria.
According to the historian
Herodotus, there was a castle in Marmaris since 3000 BC. During the Hellenistic Age,
Caria was invaded by
Alexander the Great and the castle was besieged. The 600 inhabitants of the town realised that they'd 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.
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.
The 17th century writer
Evliya Çelebi mentions the castle, which was rebuilt by
Süleyman the Magnificent in
1522 when he set out for his campaign on
Rhodes. Since 1979, renovation work has been continuing at the castle, in order to restore it back to 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 and the courtyard is decorated with seasonal flowers.
It was under
Süleyman the Magnificent that Marmaris came under
Ottoman control. In 1522 Süleyman assembled a fleet of over 300 ships and a force of 200,000 in the bay of Marmaris to challenge the Knights' headquarters on Rhodes. After many battles, the Knights had to give up and the Turks overtook Rhodes for the next 400 years.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Marmaris'.
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