Sailing To Cnidus, The Star Of Dorian Hexapolis

If you are looking for a unique yachting holiday orwhich are all now at the Museum except for one of
vacation, you should try a sailing voyage to ancientthe lions that got broken in transit. Can Yucel, a
city of Cnidus in Turkey. Cnidus is an ancient site inwell-known master of Turkish poetry has described
Turkey that is being closely studied by archaeologistsCnidus in two sentences: "Staring at it, looks greener
and historians. Ramazan Ozgan, the archaeologythan the algea, Yet more blue, swimming a stroke."
professor of Konya Selcuk University in Turkey, whoAphrodite bathed in this water, according to the
has been presiding over the excavation studies inGreek mythology. Although Cnidus is one of the best
Cnidus for 16 years, is working with a group of 22preserved areas, ignorance has taken its toll on this
students; in addition, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Ehrhart fromprecious cultural site. Some valuable pieces have been
Freiburg University also is working to uncover the richdragged out of the country due to greed and vanity.
heritage of Cnidus. Centuries ago Cnidus, originally aBut what remains still provide a light on the richness
Phoenician settlement, was a major Dorian city,of the ancient past. Prof. Dr. Ehrhart is working on
celebrated for its temples, theatres, statue ofthe city plan of the ancient site, which, not
Aphrodite, the world's first observatory, andsurprisingly, has never been searched thoroughly
medi¬cal school. Around 1000 BC the Doriansbefore. Cnidus was known worldwide in ancient times
invaded the southern part of Caria and established"I don't know whether 16 years of study was
the Dorian Hexapolis with the cities Cnidussuffering or pleasure" says Mr. Ozgan while adding
(Datça), Halicarnassos (Bodrum), Cos, Kamiros,that he's fond of the excavations he discovered with
Lindos and Lalissos. The last three of the cities werehis students. "The Dorians founded these cities
in Rhodes. Cnidus was established at the same timearound 1200 BC. As the seaborne trade developed,
as Halicarnassus (now Bodrum) around 800 BC. Laterthey stored their products in Northern Africa, in a city
on, according to Herodotus, a famous Greekcalled Naucratis to sell olive and olive oil to the whole
historian, who lived around 447 BC,world. And that's how Cnidus became among the
Halicarnas¬sus was excluded from the union ofmost wealthy cities of the world and became the
Greek city-states. The Union was then called therichest in Anatolia." Land of the taxfree Friends of
Dorian Pentapolis. Cnidus was the centre of this CityJulius Ceasar lived in Cnidus, and being friends with
Union. It had an effective political and economichim wasn't only critical in a political sense but was also
structure considering the period and was anvery important as an economic advantage. This state
important city with, colonies in Northern Sicily, fromof affairs gave Cnidus a privilege; Ceasar anounced
the island of Lipari, to as far as Naukrati in Egypt.that this city would be free of tax and this led to
Apollon and Aphrodite were the symbols of the city.great prosperity and the citizens built fountains,
The engravings on the Cnidian coins used to bearschools and temples which can be partly seen today.
these symbols. But the most striking symbol of theAt least they were helping each other! What have
city were the lions which stood on both sides of theour rich people done to help their cities? How and
harbour entrance. A colossal figure of a lion carvedwhere do they spend their fortune? Cnidus was also
out of one block of mar¬ble, ten feet in lengtha leading clinical center of the world but again, this
and six in height, which is believed tofact doesn't come into prominence. Pieces are
commemo¬rate the great naval victory, thescattered all over the world The most glorious pieces
Battle of Cnidus, which ended the Spartan hegemonyof the British Museum have been taken from here
in 394 BC! Philosophers, architects and theand damage was done to the ancient sites. The
astronomers of the ancient world were attracted toartifacts are easy to carry away via the sea and
this inspirational meeting point. The statue ofrumors of smuggling have continued right up to
Aphrodite testifies to the cul¬tural refinementrecent years. Have you dreamed of an enjoyable
of the city. One of the greatest mathematicians ofholiday amidst the quiet of ancient ruins? Wouldn't
antiquity, Eudoxus was born in Cnidus. He discoveredthis be a perfect vacation? Imagine a land where the
the formula to find the volumes of the solids andfertility of the soil is boundless and from this rich soil
other mathematical demonstrations. He also devised acomes earthenware pottery from Paleothic Ages,
geometrical expla¬nation of the motions of theAssyrian metal coins, and statues that decorated the
sun, moon and planets along the zodiac. There's alsoHittite cities and ancient Greek libraries. The ideal way
Praxiteles who carved the statue of Aphrodite forto live in the historical sites, is to join a "Blue Voyage"
the people of Cnidus. The statue was so highlywith the comfortable atmosphere afforded by a
valued by them that they refused to sell it to King"Deluxe Gulet" or "Marmaris Yachts". You can also
Nicomedes, who was willing in return to discharge thehave an experienced guide in the gulet (traditional
whole debt of the city. And there's Sostratus,Turkish sail boat), whose knowledge of the area is
architect of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. This greatrich and whose personality is warm and humorous.
lighthouse was one of "the Seven Wonders of theThe "Blue Cruise" in the crystal clear waters or
ancient world" . At one time in Cnidus, there was a"Turquoise Coast" could easily be the highlight of your
statue of a lion set on each breakwater,trip to Turkey.
commemorating the great naval victory won in 394Gurhan Ebren is a retired naval officer and currently
BC, but in 1857, an Englishman by the name ofruns El Paso Travel, a Marmaris travel agency
C.Newton visited the city and carried off a statue ofspecializing in yacht and gulet charters and cruises in
Demeter and some other statues including the lions,Turkey.