The Antique City of Knidos

History

Ancient Knidos arose in the 7th century BC. Its founders were Koreans. They came to the area in search of fertile land. Initially the main occupation of the locals was farming. Later the city was moved to the seashore. In 360 B.C. Knidos was built on the very edge of the Datcha Peninsula at Cape Deveboinou. The new city had a very favorable location: it was surrounded on both sides by convenient harbors where military and merchant ships could anchorage.

After Knidos was relocated to the coast the old city was not completely abandoned and continued its existence under the name of Stadia (today's name is Old Datca).

Gradually Knidos became one of the largest commercial and cultural centers on the west coast of Turkey. This town was the birthplace of many talented people. The architect of the Alexandria Lighthouse Sostratus, the astronomer Eudoxus who founded the first observatory in Knidos and the sculptor Praxiteles who was the author of the statue of Aphrodite of Knidos were all born here. This statue turned the city into a major tourist destination of the time. Travellers from all over the city came to Knidos to see this marvel.

For a time Knidos, along with the other five cities founded by the Dorians, was part of the Doric League. Herodotus wrote in his works about the heroic struggle of the people of Knidos against the Persians. He said that, not wanting to submit to the Persian conquerors, the Dorians decided to dig over the isthmus connecting the peninsula to the mainland. In this way they wanted to make Knidos an island. However, their attempt ended in failure, as the ancient city ended up in the hands of the Persians.

In 394, after the defeat in the Corinthian War, Knidos passed into the hands of the Greeks. The Hellenistic period is considered the golden age of the ancient city. Thereafter Knidos survived the Roman and Byzantine periods, which left behind many architectural monuments.

Devastating earthquakes lead the inhabitants to gradually abandon Knidos and by the 7th century AD the city was already in a state of neglect.

The first excavations in Knidos began in the middle of the 19th century when English archaeologists led by Newton discovered the statue of Demeter.

Attractions

There are no fixed tourist itineraries in Knidos, so you can develop a tour plan on your own if you wish. Initially, it is worth simply walking through the streets of the city, starting at its lowest point. Even today you can clearly see four wide streets stretching parallel to each other.

In any street you can get from the harbors to the acropolis. The streets were connected by stone staircases, the remains of which in some places are well preserved. Around the city you can see the ruins of the fortress walls. Their length in former times was about 4 km.

The main attraction of the city is the Temple of Aphrodite, where there used to be the legendary statue of Aphrodite. Now only the marble foundation can be seen on the site of the temple. Nearby there is an alley, made in the shape of a heart and decorated with a colonnade.

There are two theaters in Knidos. However, today only one of them is available for viewing. It is Lower Theatre, which has survived to this day in almost perfect condition. It can be found on the coast. By the number of seats the theater could seat up to 8 thousand spectators.

The upper theater was at the top of the slope. It is still hidden from the eyes of visitors under a thick layer of earth. Its contours can only be guessed from the stones protruding here and there.

The temples of Apollo and Corinth are no less remarkable. The latter was built by the famous ancient architect Stratos.

The ruins of Stoa are also worth a look. Most of them have already been excavated. Stoa is a structure measuring 11.3 by 16 with small rooms.

Not far from it you can see the remains of the city council building - the Buleutheria. Also in Knidos are the ruins of an early Christian church with beautiful floor mosaics.