Area: 13.338 km² , Population: 766.156 (2007)
GENERAL INFORMATION
The province of Muğla is located at the south of the Aegean Region and is founded at the skirts of the Asar (Hisar) Mountain spreading towards the plain and is a beautiful and clean tourism paradise with its original architecture, whitewashed walls, red roof tiled roofs, authentic chimneys and narrow streets.
In ancient times in Anatolia, the region between the Menderes (Meander) and Dalaman (Indus) rivers in the south was called Caria. The inhabitants were Carians and Leleges. In his Iliad, Homer describes the Carians as natives of Anatolia, defending their country against Greeks in joint campaigns in collaboration with the Trojans. A major city of ancient Caria, Muğla is known to have been occupied by raiding parties of Egyptians, Assyrians and Scythians, until eventually the area was settled by Ancient Greek colonists. The Greeks inhabited this coast for a long time building prominent cities, such as Knidos (at the end of the Datça Peninsula and Bodrum (Halicarnassos), as well as many smaller towns along the coast, on the Bodrum Peninsula and inland, including in the district of Fethiye the cities of Telmessos, Xanthos, Patara and Tlos. Eventually the coast was conquered by Persians who were in turn removed by Alexander the Great, bringing an end to the satrapy of Caria. In 1261 CE, Menteşe Bey, founder of the Beylik (principality) that carried his name, with its capital in Milas, established his rule over the region of Muğla as well. The beys of Menteşe held the city until 1390 and this, the first Turkish state in the region, achieved a high level of cultural development, its buildings remaining to this day. The province also became a significant naval power, trading with the Aegean Islands, Crete and as far as Venice and Egypt. Turkish settlement during the Menteşe period usually took place through migrations along the Kütahya-Tavas axis. In 1390, Muğla was taken over by the Ottoman Empire. However, just twelve years later, Tamerlane and his forces defeated the Ottomans in the Battle of Ankara, and returned control of the region to its former rulers, the Menteşe Beys, as he did for other Anatolian Turkish Beyliks. Muğla was brought back under Ottoman control by Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror, in 1451. One of the most important events in the area during the Ottoman period was the well-recorded campaign of Süleyman the Magnificent against Rhodes, which was launched from Marmaris.
With this long history Muğla is rich in ancient ruins, with over 100 excavated sites including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Letoon, near Fethiye.
HOW TO GET
Highway : The transportation to the province and its districts, all of which have their own historical and touristic properties is possible via highway from the neighboring and other cities. It is possible to reach to the province by bus journeys from İzmir, Ankara and Istanbul provinces. The transportation to other districts and the travel in the city is via minibuses.
Airway : The nearest airports are in Dalaman and Milas districts. Dalaman Airport is 92 km and Milas Airport is 80 km away from Muğla city centre.
DONT LEAVE WITHOUT
- Visiting Bodrum, Fethiye, Köyceğiz, Marmaris and Datça districts,
- Visiting the Muğla Bazaar and Arasta, Muğla Museum and traditional Muğla Houses,
- Buying authentic textile clothing of Muğla,
- Tasting the Muğla keşkek,
- Tasting Çındar roast and Börülce teretor,
- Participating a local wedding of Muğla,
- Visiting the Karabağlar Plateau
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