Bodrum

Bodrum is a lively town and district in Muğla Province, Turkey, near the Gulf of Gökova. In ancient times, it was called Halicarnassus and was very important. One of the greatest wonders of the ancient world, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, once stood here. This grand tomb was built for Mausolus, a ruler, by his wife Artemisia.

The town has a rich history. It was first settled by Dorian Greeks and later ruled by Persians. After the death of Alexander the Great, many different groups controlled the town, including Macedonians, Hellenistic rulers, and Romans. The town stayed important for many years.

Today, Bodrum is known for its beautiful beaches and tourism. Fishing and sponge diving used to be the main jobs, but now many people work in tourism, shops, and services. The town has airports, ferry services, and many buses and taxis to help people travel around.

Etymology

The name Bodrum comes from an old name called Petronium. This name is linked to a big castle called St. Peter that was built a long time ago.

Before that, the town was called Halicarnassus. This name might have come from an old language spoken in the area, meaning "fortress."

History

See also: Halicarnassus

Halicarnassus was an ancient Greek city where modern Bodrum stands in Turkey. It was founded by Dorian Greeks.

Later, the city became part of the Persian Empire and was the capital of Caria. One of its famous rulers was Mausolus. After his death, a grand tomb called the Mausoleum was built for him. This tomb was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the word "mausoleum" comes from his name.

Over time, the city was ruled by many leaders, including Alexander the Great, the Ptolemies, and the Romans. Earthquakes and pirate attacks damaged much of the city. In the medieval period, Crusader Knights used parts of the Mausoleum to build Bodrum Castle, which still stands today.

In more recent times, Bodrum grew from a small fishing village into a popular town, especially after the 1950s.

Geography

Climate

Bodrum has a warm Mediterranean climate. Winters are mild and humid, with average temperatures around 15 °C (59 °F). Summers are very hot and sunny, with average temperatures around 34 °C (93 °F).

Main sights

The Castle of St. Peter, also called Bodrum Castle, is one of the main attractions. It was built by the Knights Hospitaller in the 15th century. The castle shows Gothic architecture. It is home to the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology, a museum started by the Turkish government in 1962 to show ancient shipwrecks from the Aegean Sea. Since 2017, the castle has been under renovation, and only some parts are open to visitors.

The ruins of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus are also a major sight. Built in the fourth century BC, the Mausoleum was a tomb made by Greek architects for Mausolus, a leader of the Persian Empire, and his sister-wife Artemisia II of Caria. It was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Today, the ruins still attract many visitors. Plans are to turn the ruins into an open-air museum.

Besides the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology, there are other museums. The Zeki Müren Art Museum is dedicated to Turkish classical musician Zeki Müren. After his death, his house in Bodrum became this museum and opened to the public on 8 June 2000. The Bodrum Maritime Museum focuses on protecting and showing important items from the city's maritime history. The Bodrum City Museum is smaller and shows the general history of the Bodrum peninsula.

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  Theatre at Halicarnassus

The ruins of the [Mausoleum at Halicarnassus](/wiki/Mausoleum_at_Halicarnassus)

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  Entrance of Museum of Underwater Archaeology

Collection of [amphoras](/wiki/Amphora) in Museum of Underwater Archaeology

[Zeki Müren](/wiki/Zeki_Müren)'s statue at Zeki Müren Art Museum

Windmills of Bodrum

Demographics

Bodrum is a popular place with many people living there. It has grown a lot over the years. Today, many tourists visit Bodrum, adding to its busy atmosphere. The area is known for its friendly community and beautiful surroundings.

Government

The district of Bodrum is one of 957 in Turkey. It is in Muğla Province, which is part of the Aydin Subregion. This subregion is in the Aegean Region. Bodrum became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1871 and a district of Muğla Province in 1872. The Bodrum Municipality looks after the whole Bodrum Peninsula. The peninsula has an area of 689 km² and a coastline of 215 km. It is led by a mayor, four deputy mayors, and 18 directorates.

As the population of the Bodrum Peninsula grew, new town municipalities were created. These include Turgutreis, established in 1967, followed by Mumcular in 1972, Yalıkavak in 1989, and Gündoğan in 1992. In 1999, several villages were combined to form new towns, such as Ortakent-Yahşi and Göltürkbükü. The same year, municipalities like Gümüşlük, Konacık, and Bitez were also founded. After Muğla Province became a metropolitan municipality, these town municipalities were abolished, and all towns were brought together under the city of Bodrum. Since March 30, 2014, the entire peninsula has been governed as one municipality.

Neighbourhoods

There are 56 neighbourhoods in Bodrum District, including:

• Akçaalan
• Akyarlar
• Bahçelievler
• Bahçeyakası
• Bitez
• Çamarası
• Çamlık
• Çarşı
• Cevatşakir
• Çiftlik
• Çırkan
• Çömlekçi
• Cumhuriyet
• Dağbelen
• Dereköy
• Dirmil
• Eskiçeşme
• Farilya
• Geriş
• Gökpınar
• Gölbaşı
• Gölköy
• Gümbet
• Gümüşlük
• Gündoğan
• Gürece
• Güvercinlik
• İslamhaneleri
• Karabağ
• Karaova
• Kemer
• Kızılağaç
• Konacık
• Koyunbaba
• Küçükbük
• Kumbahçe
• Kumköy
• Mazıköy
• Mumcular
• Müskebi
• Peksimet
• Pınarlıbelen
• Sazköy
• Tepecik
• Tepecik Karaova
• Torba
• Turgutreis
• Türkbükü
• Türkkuyusu
• Umurca
• Yahşi
• Yakaköy
• Yalıkavak
• Yeniköy
• Yeniköy Karaova
• Yokuşbaşı

Economy

In the 1900s, Bodrum's economy depended on fishing and sponge diving. Sponge diving started when Koan and Cretan immigrants came to Bodrum in the 1920s. At its peak, about 150 boats were used for sponge diving. But sponge diseases, new sponge production, and a ban ended this industry.

Today, tourism is a big part of Bodrum's economy. Many visitors help local shops and services. Leather goods, like traditional woven sandals, are popular. Other popular items include tangerine-flavored Turkish delight, nazar amulets, and handicrafts.

Bodrum has small shops and big areas to shop, such as Midtown and Oasis. There are also places for yachts and small ships, like Milta Bodrum Marina, D-Marin Turgutreis, and Yalıkavak Marina.

The Carian Trail, near Bodrum and the Kızılağaç and Pedasa ruins, attracts walkers from all over.

Culture

Traditional houses in Bodrum have simple shapes and are made from local materials like stone, wood, clay, and cane. These houses often have white walls with blue details around doors and windows. The white paint helps keep the houses cool in hot weather. Blue is thought to protect against bad wishes.

Bodrum holds several special events each year. The Bodrum International Ballet Festival has taken place every summer since 2002. Since 2014, the city has also hosted the Bodrum International Biennial. Another yearly event is the Bodrum Baroque Music Festival.

Architecture

Transportation

Airports

Bodrum does not have its own civilian airport. The nearest airports are Milas–Bodrum Airport and Kos Island International Airport. Milas–Bodrum Airport is about 36 kilometres northeast of Bodrum and has flights within Turkey and to other countries. Kos Island International Airport is in Greece, about 70 kilometres southwest of Bodrum. You can reach it by boat across the Aegean Sea.

Bus

The main bus station in Bodrum was moved in 2021 to a new place in Torba, about 6 kilometres from the town center. This was done to help with traffic during busy times. The old bus station still serves buses for nearby areas, but trips to other parts of Turkey now start from the new station. The new station uses solar power and has places to charge electric cars, which was new for bus stations in Turkey.

Most people in Bodrum use shared taxis called "dolmuş". These small buses show their routes on signs and leave when they have enough passengers. There are also scheduled buses between towns on the Bodrum peninsula.

Port

Bodrum has a port with ferries to nearby ports and islands in both Turkey and Greece. The town has three large marinas where boats can dock, including one in the center of Bodrum.

Wildlife

Bodrum has many plants and trees, with forests covering most of the area. You can see animals like wild boars, foxes, and special birds such as pygmy cormorants, Dalmatian pelicans, and lesser kestrels. The area is also home to the Mediterranean monk seal, which is protected by law.

Sometimes, forests in Bodrum can catch fire, often because of things people do. This can be hard on the plants and animals that live there.

Notable people

Bodrum has been home to many interesting people throughout history. Some of these include:

• Herodotus, an ancient Greek historian
• Scylax of Caryanda, an ancient explorer
• Julian of Halicarnassus, a bishop from the early 6th century
• Mausolus and Artemisia II of Caria, rulers from ancient times
• Dionysius, an ancient Greek historian and teacher
• Turgut Reis, an admiral from the Ottoman times
• Emmanuel Zairis, a Greek painter
• Halikarnas Balıkçısı or Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı, a Turkish writer who lived in Bodrum for many years
• Neyzen Tevfik, a famous Turkish musician
• Zeki Müren, a well-known Turkish singer who also lived in Bodrum
• Janet Akyüz Mattei, a director of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) from 1973 to 2004
• Abdurrahman Nafiz Gürman, a military officer in the Ottoman and Turkish armies
• Zeynep Çamcı, a Turkish actress

Twin towns – sister cities

Bodrum has friendly connections with cities in different countries. These cities are called sister cities. Bodrum is connected with:

• Prizren in Kosovo
• Portimão in Portugal
• Eskişehir in Turkey
• Wakayama in Japan