Petronion

Petronion Review

The Petronion, also known as Bodrum Castle or the Castle of St. Peter, is one of the great showpieces of late-medieval architecture, built by the Knights Hospitaller (Knights of St. John) and completed in 1437. With German knight-architect Heinrich Schlegelholt at the helm, the builders incorporated green volcanic stone, marble columns, and reliefs from the remains of the mausoleum of Halicarnassus. The castle and its beautiful gardens, visible from every part of town, look as if they belong in a fairy tale. On the ramparts, you may recognize prominent coats of arms—those of the Plantagenets, d'Aubussons, and others. The five turrets are named after the homelands of the knights, who came from England, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The castle now houses the Museum of Underwater Archaeology, where displays include a 7th-century shipwreck as well as amphorae and other salvage excavated off the Aegean coast.