Many travelers wonder where Halicarnassus is, especially lovers of the ancient world who have heard about the city where the Mausoleum, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was located. And the doubt is logical, because it no longer exists as such and in its place stands another later city, with another name but equally full of charm. Here we tell you about it.
Where is Halicarnassus: location
Ancient Halicarnassus is today Bodrum, a city of about 200,000 inhabitants located in the province of Mugla in the Aegean region. That is, a coastal location with a lot of charm for its gentle green hills, clear waters and low houses, home to fishermen in the past and quiet holiday villages in the present. It is about 230 km from Izmir and about 700 km from Ankara and Istanbul, the three most important cities in Turkey.
The next doubt that can assail the traveler is why Halicarnassus is no longer called that way. This is because, after its period of splendor in Antiquity, Halicarnassus went into a progressive decline until it entered the Byzantine era, accentuated by attacks by barbarians, pirates and Arabs, as well as earthquakes which, by the way, destroyed the famous Mausoleum.
This is how it came to 1402, when the crusader knights of the Order of St. John built the castle of St. Peter, taking advantage of a moment of weakness of the Ottoman sultans due to the Turcomongol invasion of the fearsome Tamerlane. For this construction, which had the permission of Sultan Mehmet I, ashlars reused from the famous Mausoleum were used. From its Latin name , Petronium, derives the present name of the city, and the castle was definitively taken by the Ottomans, in the time of Suleiman the Magnificent, after the conquest in 1522 of Rhodes, where the aforementioned order had its headquarters.
Is Bodrum, ancient Halicarnassus, worth a visit?
Yes, without a doubt. But you should know that, if you come here in search of archaeological wealth, you will discover that the remains are not as numerous or as well preserved as those of other sites in the region, such as Ephesus or Pergamon. In any case, interesting remains of ancient Halicarnassus are preserved, which you will appreciate especially if you visit them accompanied by a professional guide.
Of course, the great ancient monument of Halicarnassus was the Mausoleum, commissioned in the 4th century BC by Artemisia II of Caria to pay homage to her late husband, Mausolus, satrap of this region under Persian rule . So monumental and impressive was this funerary construction that its name, mausoleum, began to be used to designate similar monuments. Today, the site in its original location consists of a few remains together with a small interpretation center, while the beautiful reliefs of the frieze are exhibited in the British Museum in London.
More imposing and recognizable is the Ancient Theater, built in the fourth century BC, so it is one of the few enclosures of this type and antiquity that are preserved in Turkey today. It shows a remarkable reconstruction work in modern times, but that allows it to continue to be used for cultural events, such as concerts. In addition, its seating facing the sea provides pleasant views.
And to tell the truth, little else remains of ancient Halicarnassus, except for the remains of the Myndos Gate, built by the aforementioned Mausolus as part of the defensive wall of the city.
But traveling here also has the charm of visiting other later monuments, such as the castle of the Knights Hospitaller of St. John (which today houses an interesting museum of underwater archeology) and breathing the atmosphere of a former fishing village that became a retreat for intellectuals and a pleasant sun and beach destination on the Aegean coast.
