| Marmaris City Info | | | | town. Lord Nelson and his entire fleet sheltered in the |
| Once a sleepy fishing village, Marmaris has ballooned | | | | harbour in 1798, en route to Egypt to defeat |
| into one of the largest resorts on the Aegean coast, | | | | Napoleon’s armada at the Battle of Aboukir. |
| if not Turkey. Little of its history remains, as the | | | | Marmaris therefore became a place where different |
| town is now a modern development with tourism at | | | | civilisations reigned over time, and there is |
| its heart and soul. The population swells to a massive | | | | architectural and historical evidence of Egyptian, |
| 200,000 in the summer, with most hotels, | | | | Asdur, Ion, Dor, Persian, Macedonian, Syrian, Roman, |
| restaurants, nightclubs and shops catering to low-cost | | | | Byzantium, Seljuk and Ottoman presence. |
| package holidays, although there are facilities for all | | | | Climate |
| budgets. | | | | Summers are extremely hot and dry, with daytime |
| Despite the development which reaches around 10km | | | | temperatures reaching up to 35 degrees, and winters |
| along the west of the bay, Marmaris is also | | | | are warm and wet, plunging to 5 degrees at night. |
| well-known for its expanse of green, present the | | | | The area is quite typical of a Mediterranean climate. |
| whole year round thanks to the pine-covered hills | | | | WHERE TO VISIT? |
| which surround the town. There are many beaches | | | | Marmaris Castle |
| around the bay, and there are ancient cities and | | | | Thought to have been constructed by the Ionians, |
| seaside villages close by for day trips. The yacht | | | | this small castle on the hill was repaired during the |
| harbour is the biggest and newest in Turkey and | | | | time of Alexander the Great. It was widened and |
| therefore the busiest charter port especially for trips | | | | repaired again by Suleyman the Magnificent 1522, |
| along the Turquoise Coast. | | | | during which time his 200,000 troops attacked and |
| In addition to the climate, beaches and facilities of | | | | seized the island of Rhodes. |
| the town, the transportation infrastructure is a | | | | The castle opened as a museum in 1991, after |
| definite plus for attracting visitors. It has easy | | | | restorations that took ten years. It has seven |
| connections to the nearby airport Dalaman, ferries to | | | | galleries, and has a collection of archaeological, |
| Rhodes, and on the road to Datca and Fethiye. The | | | | historical, ethnographic and nautical exhibits. The |
| harbour has attracted private boats from around the | | | | views of the city are wonderful, with a wonderful |
| world, with yacht maintenance and production in the | | | | panorama day and night. |
| workshops on the Yalanci Strait. With the climate | | | | Marmaris Museum |
| being comfortable even in winter, and the nearby | | | | Marmaris Castle is nationalized on 1979, and restored |
| impressive mountains and pine forests, Marmaris is | | | | between 1980 and 1990. Marmaris Museum, is |
| likely to remain a popular and practical holiday spot | | | | facilitated within Marmaris Castle, and opened for |
| for a long time. | | | | visitors officially on 18th May, 1991. There are seven |
| History | | | | galleries within castle, two of these are used as |
| It is thought that the first settlement in Marmaris | | | | warehouses. One gallery is Archeological pieces of |
| whose history dates back to 3400 BC, began with | | | | arts hall. Third gallery, which is ethnographic hall is |
| the arrival of a tribe to the region, whose leader was | | | | organized as Turk house. Fourth gallery is organized |
| called Kar. The area was then called Karla after him, | | | | as the room of Castle Commander. There is also an |
| and its location around the Aegean and Mediterranean | | | | exhibition hall within the museum. |
| Seas always made it an appealing region. | | | | Tashan and Kemerli Bridge |
| Suleyman the Magnificent assembled a force of | | | | The bridge, 10km along the Mugla road in the |
| 200,000 in 1522, whilst launching the siege of the | | | | Iskelebasi region, was constructed by Suleyman the |
| Knights of St John’s base in Rhodes (Rodos). | | | | Magnificent, and has arched bridges built from stone |
| Soon afterwards, he made the city more powerful | | | | and brick. |
| with the rebuilding of the tiny castle overlooking the | | | | …. |