Sightseeing in Bodrum: St. Peter's Castle

For sightseeing in Bodrum, go to St. Peter's Castle. Arguably Bodrum's most prominent feature, St. Peter's Castle was built by the Knights of St. John, the construction of the castle began in 1402, mostly using green volcanic stone from the Mausoleum of Halikarnassus, which had been destroyed by an earthquake.

In 1409 the building of the castle became of utmost importance, and so the Papal office sent an abundance of Christians to work on the site, on the promise of a guaranteed place in heaven. Interesting!

Between battles the knights filled their time by adorning the walls with colourful hangings, coats of arms and more - of which there are 249 remaining, which representing the knights and their supporters. Unfortunately, these wall decorations have lost their colouring over the years and are fairly indistinguishable, but still manage to stimulate the old imagination.

Henrich Schlegelholf, a German architect, surpervised the construction of the castle ensuring that it was up to date with regard to castle design, and that it had provisions for the latest in armeries, which, at the time, were cannons, which were accordingly installed along the top of the castle's thick walls. Many clever architectural techniques were put in place, including excavating parts of the internal walls to create small reservoirs from which the Knights could get their water when the castle was under attack.

The chapel, which still stands erected inside the castle, was one of the first structures to be completed.

In it's heyday St. Peter's Castle had five towers; the towers of England, France, Italy, Germany and, erm, Snake - or Spain.

Be sure to not miss the spectacular gardens which are often overlooked. The garden has a huge range of Mediterranean plants and trees, and is well worth a visit.

In Ottoman times - late 19th century onwards - St. Peter's Castle was used as a prison, before being used as an Italian base during the First World War, and now, of course, the castle is a famous sightseeing destination, as well as housing the Museum of Underwater Archaeology.

In the 1960's the castle became the official storage location of underwater findings, until some bright spark realised if the findings were displayed in a way that was pleasing to the eye, with anecdotes and information, they could charge people an entrance fee (albeit not a huge one), and call it a sightseeing attraction, genius!...

Also in the castle is a fully-functional Turkish bath and a dungeon used by the knights... ooh spooky! And don't forget to experience the view from the top of the castle, which is absolutely stunning.

More Sightseeing...

St. Peter's Castle
The Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology
The Mausoleum of Halikarnassus
The Ottoman Tower
The Ancient Amphitheatre
The Myndos Gate
Kara Ada
Iassos