Datça and Knidos: A Town full of History
This article is a some parts of translate of Datça ve Knidos: Tarih Dolu bir Kasaba. The original article was published in Gazete Yenigün, on 24th March, 2024.
Because this is the first time I am writing a travel essay in this column, I am very excited. It is common to share travel observations both in the past and today. These posts are also followed with interest. While Evliya Çelebi’s travelogues are well known in Turkish culture, İlber Ortaylı’s travelogues in this direction should also be considered.
Here, I will follow in the footsteps of İlber Ortaylı and write about my Datça trip through the historian’s eyes. If you are ready, let’s go on a journey.
We visited Datça between March 8–11, 2024. During the trip, we also experienced the entrance road to the Datça peninsula. I would not want to drive on this road at night because of its natural hills. Also, taking this road during the day prevents you from missing the opportunity to see extraordinary views.
We stayed in an aparthotel on Kumluk Beach, Datça İskele Mahallesi. During our visit, we explored Old Datça. Then we visited Reşadiye, another old settlement of Datça, which was the county center during the Ottoman period. We also had the opportunity to see historical sites such as the Knidos Ancient City and Burgaz Ruins. We experienced its nature and visited bays, enjoying the blessings of the world by the sea. Unfortunately, since our visit did not coincide with the summer months, the town had not opened the season, so we could not experience some places, including certain food venues.
After all, Datça, like other Aegean coastal towns, has a season mainly in July-August. We can get this information from various channels as well as from the locals. During the season, there is an influx of tourists, although not as much as Bodrum and Çeşme. But locals, meaning Turkish people, are dominant among these tourists. The point to consider here is the quality of the tourists coming to Datça. Tourists do not consist of those seeking a vacation with a fast nightlife. There are no such places in Datça anyway. Raki-fish-based dining and the sea-sun duo with its very special bays are what can be found in Datça. If you want entertainment based on a fast nightlife, the town will not satisfy you.
In this way, Datça deserves its slogan: as you can see in most souvenirs, Datça shopkeepers say, “What are you doing in Datça if you are in a hurry?” (Aceleniz varsa, ne şiniz var Datça’da)
While Datça welcomes its guests today in this state, it has three famous Bs: ‘almond, fish, honey,’ or Bal, Badem, Balık. So what was Datça like in the past? Is it possible to add history to these special values?
Of course, it is possible, because there is a very special historical area in Datça. Its name is Knidos.
The ancient city of Knidos is at the tip of the Datça peninsula. This region corresponds to where the Mediterranean and the Aegean are separated. It is also the westernmost tip of Anatolia. There is a working lighthouse above Knidos.
The importance of Knidos is better known by Westerners than by us, so Turkish people. In fact, some pieces from the ancient city were once smuggled to Europe and are now exhibited as rare pieces.
Finally, Knidos has a very special place with its settlement plan, features such as sanctuaries, and the way it uses the harbor. First of all, the settlement is an Ancient Greek settlement, but it was founded in the land of Caria. The Datça peninsula, which was once Carian land, was subjected to Dorian raids, and Knidos was formed as a result. This Knidos was initially located in the ruins of Burgaz, right next to today’s Datça.
These Dorians, who took root in the Carian homeland, moved from Burgaz to the westernmost part of the peninsula in time. The current Knidos is this settlement. But this move did not end Knidos in Burgaz immediately. Life continued here too. This shows us that there was a very lively ancient life on the peninsula. Especially the fact that the administrative and management buildings in Knidos are still standing reveals the importance of Knidos.
