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Sun kissed sandy beaches and interesting historical monuments are just few of the reasons to be in Bodrum. To reach here you can take flights to Bodrum, available from most major cities of the world. Places to visit while in Bodrum include Castle of the Knights, Bodrum Castle mosque, Bodrum Amphitheater and many more.

The Bodrum Castle, also known as The Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology, was officially converted into a museum in 1961. The first Director of the museum was Mr. Haluk Elbe. The reappropriation of the broken castle walls dates back to 1959 when the Turkish government released funds for the same.

Various exhibits that are displayed today are because of the efforts of Mustafa Kapkin, Honor Frost and Peter Throckmorton in 1958. The Bodrum castle consists of 7 gates, huge battlemented walls and 5 towers. This shows that this fortress was something powerful at the time.

Several influences show on the inscriptions as well as the coats of arms. Some are of Carian origin and there are others which show medieval multi national influence. There are traces of Seljuk, Carian, Byzantine or Roman occupation or construction.

French seemed to have influenced the castle in a number of ways, first being the Frenchman named Philibert de Naillac. He was the one who happened to be the Grand Master when the whole structure of the castle was made. The north wall shows the royal arms belonging to the French. The date has also been inscribed here that shows 1460. This was at the time when Charles the VII ruled and his coronation was continued because of the victory of Jeanne d Arc at Orleans over the English. It is astonishing to note how the English and French knights lived together in Bodrum while their own natives were constantly fighting with each other.

Henrik Schlegelholdt was a German who has been the architect behind the grand fortress. The German Tower that has been restored successfully has the protective plate in German Langue. This shield made it easy for the knights to identify their chapters in the Order based on their various language groups. The language indicated the nationality they primarily belonged to. Around 1400 there were not many German knights in the Hospitaller. Most of the knights enlisted in the Teutonic Knights order were posted at Prussia. Most Germans will understand what is written at various places in the museum.

There are some areas where even Italians and Spaniards will be able to find remains of their countrymen at the Bodrum Castle. The tapestry reminds of the 15th century Western Europe. This part of the castle goes very well with the underwater exhibits that have been recovered from shipwrecks. There are some which are replicas and some simply display the way underwater excavation was carried out. The way the medieval exhibits and ancient maritime displays have been combined is quite remarkable.

The visiting hours of the museum are 9.00 p.m. till 7.00 p.m.