KÖYCEĞİZ
While you travel to Köyceğiz, located on the edge of Lake
Köyceğiz, via the Muğla-Fethiye road it is as if you are
destined to get to a waterside town but somewhere inland.
And then all of a sudden you see the lake in front of you
and are surprised. The population of the town and its
surrounding region does not even add up to ten thousand but
it has a rich historical heritage. If you want to see it all:
the sea, the beautiful sand beaches, a very beautiful lake,
natural and historical riches the address you are destined
for is Köyceğiz.
Köyceğiz in history
Settlement in this beautiful region began thousands of years
ago. The first traces of civilisation go back to 3,400 BC.
This was followed by settlement of this territory by the
İskits, Assyrians, Ionians, Dorians, Persians, Greeks,
Seluecids, Romans, Menteşeoğulları and Ottomans. The ancient
city of Kaunos, situated in the edge of the lake, was one of
the most important port cities at the intersection of the
Aegean and Mediterranean Seas around 1000 BC. The modern day
Köyceğiz began life during the Ottoman area.
Lake Köyceğiz
The lake is fed by the plentiful waters of the seven arms of
a stream that flows down from the mountains. This is why it
does not change either in summer or winter. It empties its
excess water through a narrow 10 kilometre long channel, the
Dalyan Strait, into the Mediterranean Sea. If you do not
have a detailed map of the region with you while you wander
you can get confused over which side is water and which side
is sea. The best clue you have are the reeds of the lake.
The area covered by the Dalyan Strait and the lake is 6,300
hectares. On the edge of the strait there is a lagoon called
Lake Sülüngür which holds a mixture of sweet and salty water.
This lake is where the sea bass their lay eggs. The coast
bordering the sea varies in width from between 50 to 200
metres and it has a beautiful 5.5 kilometre long beach. (See
the İstuzu Beach section.) The lake has been almost
completely cut off from the sea by the sediment carried down
by the water. However, there is still a channel that links
the lake to the sea, allowing water to run off. The delta
was formed by sediment brought by the Nam Nam and Yuvarlak.
Streams Those interested in photography and aqua sports will
find it quite difficult to leave here as the lake area gives
you such wonderful scenery. And even if you area not into
sports such as surfing, sailing, rowing do not stay away
from the lake. You can go on small boat trips in the evening
or late at night and sing to the lonely night and the stars.If
you have an interest in fishing do not forget to pack your
rod and tackle as the lake offers a chance even to amateur
fisherman and you will not return empty handed.A trip around
the lake, either on foot or by car, is very pleasant too. A
boat trip on the lake is also very interesting. The small
island in the lake is locally known as Hapishane Adası (Prison
Island). In the past the island was used for military
purposes and then had a prison built on it. You can also see
the remains of a Genovese castle on the island. Another name
given to the island is Aşıklar Adası (Lovers Island).
According to a legend, two lovers, when their request to
marry was refused by their families, sought refuge on this
island. They got away from the pressures of the families but
could not escape their destiny. They were bitten by a large
snake and both died right there. This is just one of the
many island and snake stories which feature in Anatolia
folklore.In the true meaning of the word, Köyceğiz means "heaven
of water". The sea, the lake, the rivers feeding the lake,
the channels connecting it to the sea all reinforce this.
Indeed, wherever you dig in town, even just a few metres
down, you can strike very clean water. Thus the town is very
suitable for agriculture as well. The plantations that are
irrigated by the underground water do not dry out, even in
the hottest of summers. The region is surrounded by
mountains and blanketed by forests of Sığla and pine trees
as can be found nowhere else in the world.
The ancient city of Kaunos
You can also go to Kaunos by boats leaving from Dalyan. From
the wharf near the ruins reachable from Dalyan by boat it is
just a 10 minutes walk to the remains of the ancient city of
Kaunos. Those coming by yachts can drop anchor around
Delikli Ada and go ashore by small boat. Kaunos was a
significant trading port, though it lost its strategic
importance as the alluvial sands filled the harbour.
According to the father of history, Heredotos, the people of
Kaunos were natives of Caria who considered themselves to be
Cretans. The ancient geographer Strabon writes that Kaunos
had ship building yards and a port that could be closed and
opened according to need. Miletos’s son Kaunos, exiled for
having had an illicit relationship with his twin sister,
founded the city. The rock tombs that can be seen from as
far away as Dalyan were built in 4 BC and were also used
during the Roman period later. In Lycian type tombs the dead
were placed on rock beds. Surrounding the tomb are two Ionic
columns, which have a relief and pediment. On one of the
pediments is an ornament depicting lions. The port of the
city was what is now Lake Sülüklü down from the acropolis.
In those times the sea reached as far as the Kaunos
acropolis. When the Persians captured Anatolia the city came
under the control of Mausolos. After Alexander the Great
defeated the Persians in 334 BC the city was ruled by
Princess Ada, then Antigonos and later Ptolemy. It was
successively part of the Kingdoms of Rhodes, Bergama and
then the Roman Empire. Kaunos lost its importance after its
harbour was silted up. The acropolis was set on a hill at a
height of 152 metres. The city walls to the north are a
remnant from the Middle Ages. The long city walls start from
north of the harbour and go on till the steep cliffs past
the village of Dalyan. The northern part of the city walls
were constructed during the time of Mausolos while the walls
to the north west were constructed during the Hellenistic
era. Those towards the harbour are from the Archaic era. The
city’s theatre is at the foot of the acropolis. It has 33
rows of seats. The remains of a building to the west of the
theatre are of a basilica type church. The others are of a
Roman bath and a temple. Further below is an incomplete
circle construction with fluted columns and behind this is a
podium with three steps. Here the remains of the temple can
be seen. The nature of the circle shape structure is unknown.
A stoa was unearthed during excavations to the north of the
old port of Lake Sülüklü. Many statue pedestals were found
around it but the statues were not recovered. The fountain
near the stoa has been restored. To see the city walls and
the towers a long tour of discovery should be carried out.
Those who wish can visit the old port area of Kaunos that is
now Lake Sülüklü Lake by boat or go to the nearby village of
Çandır. On the quay of the village of Çandır there is always
a line of cruising boats. These boats provide services to
the yachts that come to İstuzu Beach. They will take
passengers of the yacht to Dalyan and the mud baths. When
you get to the quay the large big holes carved into the
stone hills will catch your attention. These use to serve as
a form of lighthouse as giant fires was kept burning in
these holes at night to guide the ships that were coming to
the port of Kaunos.
The mud baths
In
the area of the Dalyan channels and Lake Köyceğiz thermal
waters spring up at many places. The hot sulphurous waters
are credited with healing rheumatic and skin diseases as
well as other cases. However, the Sultaniye thermal waters,
just 15 minutes from the town centre, have developed
differently and became a tourist attraction. The mud bath,
where generally foreign tourist get undressed, get into the
mud and have their photos taken, is always colourful and
crowded but gives a good photo opportunity. You can
immortalise this moment by posing for the camera before and
after getting into the mud, which is supposed to have a
beautifying effect on the skin but has also won a reputation
engendering a sense of fun. Apart from the endangered
Caretta Carettas sea turtles there are also Nile sea turtles
(Trionyx Tringulus), not as well known as the Caretta
Carettas, that live near the lake area of the channels.
The Sultaniye Spa
When you travel from Köyceğiz and go to Ekincik through
Hamitköy you will see a sign saying Sultaniye Kaplıcası
(Sultaniye Spa). You travel for 500 metres further in from
the sign to get there.You can also get there by boats that
run daily from Köyceğiz, Dalyan and Ekincik. Some of the
boat tours also stop at or go to the spa. In the region you
will hear many stories of how people that were brought in a
wheel chair or on a stretcher were healed and walked after a
series of 21 curing treatments. We will leave it to you
whether to believe these tales or not.However, we can cite
you a certain fact and that is that the Sultaniye thermal
waters have the highest level of radioactivity of all of
Turkey’s spas. The water is 39 degrees celcius and contains
calcium chlorine, calcium sulphate, calcium sulphurous and
radon.The waters are believed to be good for rheumatism,
sciatica, certain skin diseases and women’s diseases.
However, it is also famed for its restorative powers due to
high level of radioactivity.The spas are said to been first
opened by the Kaunos locals some 2000 years ago. The remains
of a hospital in the area has proved this date to be right.
In those years it was very popular as it was supposed to
improve sexual power. The spring water, coming next to the
large source of thermal water, when drunk was believed to
cure various internal diseases.In the spas there are rooms
that you can rent out.The daily requirements of people
staying in the spas can be met by the outlets within the
facilities set up by the municipality.There are other spas
in the region that are not as popular as the Sultaniye one.
Those who go five kilometres from Sultaniye towards Horozlu
reach the Ilıca (Spa) region which is much quieter. The
minibuses that travel from Sultaniye to Köyceğiz return in
the evening. |
