Castle of Marmaris to be restored

MUĞLA - Anatolia News Agency

The museum has a very rich archaeological collection that includes objects unearthed during excavations as well as ones purchased through sales, Marmaris Museum Director Esengül Yıldız Öztekin says. AA photo

Officials have approved the restoration of the 500-year old Marmaris Castle and its accompanying museum, rebuilt by Kanuni Sultan Süleyman (Süleyman the Magnificent) during his campaign for the Greek island of Rhodes in 1522.

The Culture and Tourism Ministry has allocated 300,000 Turkish Liras for the restoration of the castle and museum, which is visited by some 60,000 people each year. The cost for the preparation of the restoration project was 40,000 liras and was financed by the Marmaris Port Management.
The museum has a very rich archaeological collection that includes objects unearthed during excavations as well as ones purchased through sales, Marmaris Museum Director Esengül Yıldız Öztekin said.

The museum’s existing arrangement was not in line with contemporary museum design and did not illuminate its visitors, Öztekin said. “The directorate has developed a project for a new arrangement. The project works were finished last year and approved by the Cultural Beings and Museums General Directorate. The project was included in the investment program this year,” the director said.
Öztekin said that the project had been prepared considering the characteristics of the historic castle and that besides merchandising work, new storage would be constructed for the protection of artifacts against a possible earthquake.

Öztekin said that the Cultural Beings and Museums General Directorate closed the Marmaris Museum to visitors from Oct. 18 to April 30, 2013. “Our goal is to display the artifacts in the museum in more appropriate conditions and welcome our guests as a contemporary museum,” she said.
Following the restoration, the museum, home to nearly 12,000 artifacts, will be renamed the Marmaris Archaeology Museum.

The Marmaris Castle was first built by the Ionians in 1044 B.C. and later repaired during the era of Alexander the Great. Süleyman the Magnificent used the Marmaris castle as a military base for his troops. There are 18 houses, a fountain and an arc inside the castle area. The castle was restored between 1980 and 1990 and became a museum in 1991. It has seven indoor areas, two of which are organized as archaeology museums and one as an ethnography museum. The remaining areas are used as art galleries and storage.