Milas Museum

Milas Museum has been formed for the first time in 1983 with the approval of the Ministry, by gathering the opuses transferred from Bodrum Museum and the opuses obtained from the excavations in the district borders and has been opened for visitors in 1987. The Museum Directorate is in Milas Culture Center building. The Culture Center is built in a garden having a total surface area of 1556 m2 and the area of the building is approximately 400 m2. At the entrance floor of the building, the museum exhibition hall and administrative units are located.

In the basement, there are material depots, the opus depot of the Museum Directorate, photography room and laboratory. The garden is used as the open exhibition area of the museum. The movable culture values found in the archaic residence areas in Milas District Center and its surroundings are exhibited in the garden.

The golden opuses found in Stratonikeia excavations, cooked earth candle samples found in İasos excavations, the opuses found in the rescue excavations in and around Milas, marble sculptures, marble sculpture heads and other opuses purchased from the citizens are exhibited in a chronological sequence in the 11 showcases in the museum exhibition hall. As of June 1998, a total of 3737 inventory opuses in Milas Museum, 2615 of which are archeologic, 75 of which are ethnographic and 1047 of which are coins.

1- Gümüşkesen: Gümüşkesen, which is in Milas District center is a monumental grave constructed in the 2nd century AD.

2- Beçin: Beçin Fort, which is in the borders of Beçin Municipality that is 5 km to the district center, has been constructed over the ruins of archaic period, in Menteşe Principality period.

3- Labranda: Labranda ruin place that is 13 km to the District center is an important religion center in Karya Period. In Labranda, which takes its name from the double faced Snow axe labyris, archeological excavations are made by the Swedish since 1948.

4- Euromos: The most important ruin in Euromos ruin place that is 12 km to Milas - İzmir highway is Zeus Temple that is known as footed among public. Excavation and restoration works have been started around Zeus Temple in 1970s by Prof. Dr. Ümit Serdaroğlu, but these works were not continued later.

5- Heraklia: Heraklia ruin place that is in Kapıkırı Village at 40 km distance to the District center covers a very large area. Besides the Hellenistic Period buildings such as Athena Temple, Theater, Agora, city walls, Endymion, because of its being the center of episcopacy in the Byzantine period, there are many church ruins on the islands in Bafa Lake. Dr. Annelise Pejchlow from German Archeology Institute still continues surface researches in Herakleia ruin place.

6- Iasos: In Iasos archaic city that is in Kıyıkışlacık Village at a distance of 26 km to the District center, the excavation works that are being carried out by the Italian archeology commission since 1960 still continue under the direction of Dr. Fede Berti in and around the agora. Roman monumental grave that is one of the biggest buildings of the archaic city and that is known as Balıkpazarı among the public has been restored by Ministry of Culture and after its exhibition and arrangement by the Italian excavation team, it has been opened for visit in 1995 as open - air museum.

Labranda
Labranda, which is the holy area of Zeus Labraundos, is in ancient Karia (Southwestern Anatolia), 14 km northeastern of Mylasa city to which it is affiliated.

The most ancient findings belong to the year 600 BC. The area that has been used as holy area in 6th and 5th centuries and then as temple terrace consisted of a single, small, artificial terrace. A war took place in the holy area in 497 and Karia army has been defeated by the Persian army with its alliances.

4th century BC is the most important period of the temple. At the times of the satraps named Mausolos (377 - 352 BC) and Idrieus (351 - 344 BC), this place gained a new appearance. In 355, during the sacrifice festival in Labranda, Mausolos escaped from an assassination towards him at the last moment. Buildings such as a series of artificial terraces here, one or two entrance buildings, a small Dor building (probably a fountain building), monumental stairs, two large feast halls (androns), shed building (named as oikoi), Stoa and Zeus Temple surrounded with columns must be constructed after this event. With the death of Idrieus in 344, such works have been stopped. Because of the big fire disaster that took place in 4th century BC, the holy area has lost its feature of being a cult place.

The excavation works here have been started in 1948 by A.W.Persson and are continuing with intervals since that time. The current excavations are being executed by P. Hellström.

The access from Mylasa to the holy area had been provided via the holy road having a width of 8 m. The laying traces on this road can be seen even today. Access to the area had been provided with one of the two entrance buildings (propylon). These were impressive passage doors made of Milas marble, having two columns and Ionian frontons on each side.

The building called as "Dor building" was located at just east of the southern propylon building with its irregular formation close to a rectangle. It is a building that is turned towards north, has four columns, a front courtyard, a marble side and is in Dor style. It absolutely had the function of a fountain building. This small building has been included in the bath complex.

200 m west of the holy building, lies the stadium whose back side is reinforced with a retaining wall. The starting and end stones of the competitions are still existing at both ends. It is supposed that some competitions have been made here during the feast of 5 days made in the holy area.

 

Beçin, The Capital of Menteşeoğulları Principality

Beçin ruins are placed on a plateau seeing Milas Plain completely, at 5 km south of Milas District of Muğla. It is on the highway separating towards the ruin place from Milas - Bodrum - Muğla road fork.

The name of the city is "Pezona" in Middle Age Italian references and "Barçın", "Berçin", "Peçin" and "Beçin" in Turkish - Islamic references. Although there are no definite information relating to the pre - Turkish Period history of the city, some findings make us think that Beçin has a history going back to 2000 BC. The region is known to go under the domination of the Turks in the second half of XIII century. Menteşeoğulları, who has got hold of the city, have made Milas capital at the beginning, but at the beginning of XIV. century, they moved the government center to Beçin, since it was easier to defend. Beçin has been the capital of the kingdom during the sovereignty of Tacettin Ahmet Gazi. After the death of him in 1391, the region has been added to the Ottoman Empire by Yıldırım Bayezid and the government center has been moved to Balat (Milet).

The ruins of the buildings of the city that reached today:

Roman Grave: It is in the residence center of today of Beçin, beside the ruin place road. The chamber is in the form of a grave.

Inner Fort: It is in the northern side of the city. The fort, which has taken its shape of today in its period, has been partially based on a temple. The opuses, whose existence could be determined in the area surrounded by city walls that are in very bad condition, are a bath, a cistern and the ruin of a vault building. The bath is thought to be built in XIV century, during Menteşeoğulları Period.

Large Bath: It is between Ahmet Gazi madrasa and Inner Fort. It is dated in XIV century. It is the largest among the baths in the city. The dressing part of the bath having three liwans is destroyed.

Ahmet Gazi Madrasa: It has been had constructed by Tacettin Ahmet Gazi, Menteşe Ruler, in 1375 according to its inscription. It has an open courtyard and two liwans. In the main liwan of the madrasa, the graves of Ahmet Gazi and his relatives are located.

Orhan Bey Mosque: It is across Ahmet Gazi Madrasa. It is understood that the building was in construction in 1330s, when İbni Batuta visited Beçin. It has a rectangular plan close to a square. Its entrance and the part of its walls up to 1.5 m height are standing. From the references and excavation results, it is understood that this is a wood supported mosque.

Ruler Mansion: It is in northwestern of Ahmet Gazi Madrasa. The excavation works are continuing in the building which is thought to belong to 14th century.

Ruler Bath: It is in the north of the mansion. The water tank, boiler room and undressing part of the bath which is longitudinally heated and which has double cells, have been discovered during the excavation works performed in 1995.

Kızıl Caravansary: The caravansary, which is dated to the end of 14th century or 15th century, has two floors. The stable part at the lower side is covered with a vault that is partially destroyed. The two parts in the upper side are understood to be covered with a dome.

Chapel: It is approximately 200 m southern of Orhan Mosque. It is thought to belong to Mid - Byzantine Period.

Yelli Mosque: It is in Kepez area. It is dated to 14th century. It is a building having a square plan covered with a single dome. In its northern side, there is a two - unit end community place.

Karapaşa Madrasa: It is a madrasa having an open courtyard. It is estimated to be constructed at the end of 14th century or in 15th century. It is in a very ruined condition.

Back to General Directorate of Monuments and Museums
Back to Muğla