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Datça & Knidos Turkey travel guide

Datça was once the home of Cnidian and Aphrodite. This is one of the few places where nature and history live side by side in harmony. It is located between famous touristy places such as Marmaris and Bodrum, and the Greek islands Rhodes and Kos. South to Datça is the village and bay of Hisarnonu. The road from Marmaris to Datça, is probably one of the prettiest roads in the world. It is about 75 k' from Marmaris and 40k' to the Aktur holiday village. You can stop along the way for a swim and vista point.

If you are looking for a camping site, know that there are few camping sites along this road. Make sure you can stop there for the night. Between Hizirsah village and Datça, there is a pottery factory, that you can stop in, and have a look. When you arrive to Datça, you will see begonias around you. Few minutes from town, you can find the olives farm, where you are more then welcome to take a tour in the olives factory. Not to far from Datça, Knidos ruins can be found. In Hizirsah village you can see the Selçuk mosque. At about 4k' from town Eski Datça with its old houses, that are used by tourists and Turks alike. There is a bus service from Marmaris to Datça. The windmill, was for many years the city's symbol. If you want to enjoy you visit to this area, you really need to dedicate at list 6 hours. You can stay over night if you want, in one of the motels, aparts hotels in town.

Datça & Knidos History
Around 1000 b.c the Dorians invade the southern part of the Caria kingdom. They established the Hexapolis (Six cities federation). In 700 b.c, immigrants from Argos came and joined the townies. The Persians invaded the Anatolian heights and conquered Knidos. It is told that they wanted to dig around the city to defend it, but since many of them were injured, they sent a group to the oracle of Delphi, for consultation. He told them the god Zeus was unhappy with there worship of him, and thus the have surrendered. In 360 b.c, the city was moved to tip of the Datça peninsula.

The townies build the Crio dam, and thus created 2 ports. Merchant and war ships start docking in them, and be doing so, the city became rich so much, that Delphi Apollo, a special auditorium, was built for all the riches.

The city was the home to a known mathematician and sculpture named Sostrates Eudoxos. He is known as the architect of one of the world's seven wonders, the Alexandria Lighthouse. In 350 b.c Praxiteles the sculptor, mad the first naked Aphrodite statue. The citizens of Cos bought the dressed statue whilst the citizens of Knidos bought the naked Aphrodite. This statue was famous around the old world. The original statue was lost, but 49 copies were made. One of them is in the Vatican museum.

Throughout the year, the city changed hand. It was controlled by Athens, the Spartan, Alexander Macedon (334- 331 b.c), the Roman and Byzantine empires. In 1200 a.d, Menteshe tribe conquers Datça. In 1390 sultan Beyazit attacks the city, with partial success. Late on the city fell into Ottoman hands. During the rule of sultan Resad (18^th century), the city's name was changed to Resadiye. In 1923, with the creation of the modern Turkish republic, the city got its old name back- Datça. Today it is part of the Muğla province.