Every tourist who has ever rested in Marmaris undoubtedly turned his attention to one of its most famous attractions – a majestic fortress built on one of the high hills near the sea. The fortress in Marmaris (or in Turkish – Marmaris Kalesi) was built in the 3rd century BC. and became a kind of visiting card of the resort, because it was from it that the construction of the city of Fiskos, or modern Marmaris, began.
The fortress was built by the ancient Ionians to protect the city from offensive conquests and raids. Marmaris from the first day of its existence has been an important port and played an important geopolitical role. Therefore, the walls of the fortress are so strong and indestructible that they are still able to hold back massive attacks from the sea.
Over the centuries, the fortress was partially destroyed and was fully restored only during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, as it played an important role in his epoch-making campaign against the Greek island of Rhodes. It was here that his entire Turkish fleet was based.
There are a lot of interesting places on the territory of the fortress, so walks here will be exciting for both history lovers and ordinary tourists. You can visit the archaeological museum, which presents various artifacts found during excavations in the vicinity of Marmaris. The museum has 7 thematic halls, where the finds are divided according to the periods of their creation – from the Hellenistic to the Byzantine era. Here are various products and household items made of clay, stone, precious metals. Of particular interest will be a separate exposition of the museum dedicated to the love story of Sultan Suleiman and his beloved wife, the concubine Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska, known throughout the world under the name of Roksolana.
Guests can walk along the fortress walls or admire the picturesque seascapes at one of the observation platforms located on the top of the hill. Powerful battlements, high towers, stone ladders, many paths running up to the thickets of the hills will not leave indifferent any guest of the resort.
It will not be difficult to visit the territory of the fortress, because it is almost impossible to get lost in Marmaris, and the fortress walls of this structure are visible from anywhere in the city. To get to the fortress, any city bus (or dolmush) will do. On it you need to get to the center of Marmaris (to the central fountain) and from it take a walk to the left along the embankment. In just a few minutes, the Ataturk monument will appear in front of you, immediately behind which, on the mountain, you can already see the battlements of the fortress and the tops of the towers.
A fascinating journey through the narrow winding streets of the old city will begin from this place. Follow the signs to get to the famous Caravanserai, and only a few meters will remain from it to the entrance to the fortress. The road is completely tireless, besides, during the walk you can see with your own eyes how the locals live and even get to know them better.
