Bodrum Castle is regarded as one of Bodrum’s most notable landmarks. It was built on an island that was connected to the mainland around the time that the Trojan Wars were going on, and for over six centuries it stood as a stronghold and an important military garrison. Much of the castle is thought to have been destroyed when the city was captured by Alexander the Great, and some evidence suggests that an earthquake also caused some irreparable damages in some areas. All that is known about the mysterious castle is that it was owned and occupied by men known as the Knights of the Hospital of St John, but nobody knows who they were and why the castle was built in the first place.

The castle was turned into a museum, and was officially opened in 1961 after the damage to the castle walls was repaired and the rooms made safe for visitors.