The Carians settled in south western part
of Anatolia, between the Menderes River and
Köycegiz Lake and named this area
as Caria. The Datça Peninsula was also located
within these borders, and today it's in the Aegean
region of Turkey.
The Carians settled in south western part
of Anatolia, between the Menderes River and
Köycegiz Lake and named this area
as Caria. The Datça Peninsula was also located
within these borders, and today it's in the Aegean
region of Turkey.
Around 1000 BC Dorians invaded the southern part of Caria and established the Dorian Hexapolis with the cities Cnidus (Datça), Halicarnassos (Bodrum), Cos, Kamiros, Lindos and Ialissos (the last three were in Rhodes). Cnidus was also the centre of this City Union. It had quite an effective political and economic structure considering the period.
During the Persian invasion in Anatolia, Cnidus fell under Persian attack (546 BC). In difence, the Cnidians tried to separate themselves physically from the mainland by digging a channel through neck of the peninsula (today Balikasiran). Unfortunately the rocks were very sharp and hard. Many Cnidians were injured as a result and an envoy was sent to question the oracle at Delphi. According to the oracle, Zeus did not approve of their work and the Cnidians abandoned their project. The Persians entered the Peninsula without any resistance and were greeted peacefully by the Cnidians.
In the later Periods, Cnidus was dominated by in turn Athenian Empire, Spartans, Alexander the Great, Roman Empire and Byzantium.
In year 1220 the Menteshe Tribe (a Turkish tribe) conquered Datça. In 1390 Sultan Yildirim Beyazit attacked the Menteshe Principality. The Peninsula passed to Ottoman rule. During the reign of Sultan Resad (18th century), the name of the Peninsula changed to "Resadiye".
After the Turkish Republic (1923) was founded the Peninsula regained its old name of "Datça". Today Datça is a district of the province Mugla.
Some of the important sights to visit in Datça are:
The mosque in Hizirsah village was inherited from the Seljuks period. It has been restored and is well worth seeing. Eski Datça (Old Datça, 4 km) with beautiful old stone houses, holiday and permanent residences of many Europeans and Turks, is showing typical architecture of the area. Regular bus services are available. Cnidus was famous for its naked statue of Aphrodite. Kizlan and its windmills, which have become a symbol for Datça, is worth visiting. There are the remains of some ceramic manufactures between Old Datça and Hizirsah village thought to have been worked during the 4th century BC.
Famous as a center of art and culture in the
fourth century B.C., Cnidos was established at the same time that Halicarnassus
was, as one of the six Dorian colonies in Asia Minor.
It seems to have kept a purer Greek character, no doubt because it set
its sights seaward and had little contact with the interior. Around 360
BC, the city was rebuilt at the windblown tip of the peninsula, banking
on the fact that a good harbor at the outer corner of Asia
Minor would become a popular calling-port for ships on the Aegean -
East Mediterranean transit routes. The rocky island facing the shore at
the new site was joined to the mainland with a causeway, creating two deep
harbors on either side of the isthmus. One on the Aegean and the other
on the Mediterranean.
The island section held the residential quarters, a series of colonnaded walkways rose in tiers on the land side. Two large theaters, an odeon and three temples completed what must have been a striking ensemble in the midst of a desolate crag.
The remains of a circular temple dedicated to the goddess of love Aphrodite overlook remains of the two harbors: the arcaded way was built of white marble heart - shaped columns. The legendary Aphrodite of Praxiteles statue, reputedly one of the most beautiful sculptures of the antiquity, once graced this temple. The city was renowned as one of the most beautiful in ancient Greece.
Cnidos is considered as the border between Mediterranean and Aegean seas where this two waters mix. It offers also a good anchorage for the boats.
It's also off the beaten track, therefore many
tours don't include this site in their itinerary.
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