Knidos 
Position and Importance
35km/22mi beyond Datça on a poor unsurfaced track at the western tip of the peninsula is the site of ancient Knidos. It is preferable, however, to make this trip by boat. The peninsula which rises to a height of 1,175m/3,855ft (Boz Dagi) was known as the Cnidian Chersones or Dorian Promontory (Resadiye Yarimadasi in Turkish). The western tip of the peninsula Cape Triopion, now Deveboynu Burun, falls steeply down to the sea.
35km/22mi beyond Datça on a poor unsurfaced track at the western tip of the peninsula is the site of ancient Knidos. It is preferable, however, to make this trip by boat. The peninsula which rises to a height of 1,175m/3,855ft (Boz Dagi) was known as the Cnidian Chersones or Dorian Promontory (Resadiye Yarimadasi in Turkish). The western tip of the peninsula Cape Triopion, now Deveboynu Burun, falls steeply down to the sea.
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Must-see attractions nearby:
Knidos
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Originally an island, in classical times it was linked to the mainland by a narrow strip of land. Ancient Knidos, famous for its scholarship and art, was built on the island but later also expanded on to the slopes of the mainland. The first excavations were carried out by the British archaeologist Sir Charles Newton in 1857-58.
Ancient Knidos (Cnidus or Gnidus in Latin) was probably founded in the seventh century by Laconians (Lacedaemonians) from the south- eastern Peloponnese and rapidly developed into an important center for shipping, trade and crafts e.g. pottery. On Cape Triopion once stood a Temple of Apollo (not yet located), the Shrine of the Hexapolis, a league of six Dorian cities comprising Knidos, Kos, Halikarnassos, Lindos, Ialysos and Kameiros. The last three were all on the island of Rhodes. The city continued to flourish when it became part of the Athenian Empire. Like Kos it had a famous medical school. Later it became a Spartan base but was liberated by the Athenian general Konon in 394 B.C. Works of art which date from this time include the Cnidian Aphrodite, Praxiteles' most famous work and now on view in the Louvre and also the figure of Demeter which is now in the British Museum.
Ancient Knidos (Cnidus or Gnidus in Latin) was probably founded in the seventh century by Laconians (Lacedaemonians) from the south- eastern Peloponnese and rapidly developed into an important center for shipping, trade and crafts e.g. pottery. On Cape Triopion once stood a Temple of Apollo (not yet located), the Shrine of the Hexapolis, a league of six Dorian cities comprising Knidos, Kos, Halikarnassos, Lindos, Ialysos and Kameiros. The last three were all on the island of Rhodes. The city continued to flourish when it became part of the Athenian Empire. Like Kos it had a famous medical school. Later it became a Spartan base but was liberated by the Athenian general Konon in 394 B.C. Works of art which date from this time include the Cnidian Aphrodite, Praxiteles' most famous work and now on view in the Louvre and also the figure of Demeter which is now in the British Museum.
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Harbors
Knidos had two excellent harbors, one on either side of the narrow strip of land linking the former island with the mainland. The Great Harbor to the south had an entrance 145m/160yds wide between two massive moles. In the northwest the smaller harbor, formerly a naval harbor, had an entrance only 24m/26yds wide protected by a fine round tower. On the former island only the remains of the town walls and ancient terracing can still be seen.
