# Bodrum Castle > Bodrum Castle — the Castle of St Peter — is a 15th-century Knights Hospitaller fortress on the harbour headland, home to the Museum of Underwater Archaeology. Tickets are €20 for foreign visitors, under-8s free. Open daily: 8:30–17:30 from 1 October to 1 June, until 22:00 in summer. Allow about two hours. Web page: https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/bodrum-castle - City: [Bodrum](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum), Turkey - YesGo score: 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 2 h - Opening hours: Daily. 1 October – 1 June: 8:30–17:30, last tickets 17:00; 1 June – 1 October: 8:30–22:00, last tickets 21:30 - With kids: Fine with kids - Ticket (foreign visitors): €20, age 8+ - Under 8: Free - 1 October – 1 June: 8:30–17:30, last tickets 17:00 - 1 June – 1 October: 8:30–22:00, last tickets 21:30 - Closed: Never — open every day - Museum pass: Museum Pass The Aegean — €95 for 7 days, listed on the museum page - Where to buy: At the gate, or an e-ticket from Türkiye's official museums website - Address: Çarşı Mah., Kale Cad. No: 36, Bodrum - Halls open: No closures reported; a single hall may shut for works - From the airport: Havaş and Muttaş buses to the town dolmuş station by the bazaar, ≈ 35–40 min, a few runs a day - Coordinates: 37.03167, 27.42944 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **1402** — the Knights Hospitaller of Rhodes began building the castle (source: English and Russian Wikipedia (“Bodrum Castle”, “Замок Святого Петра”)) - **Mausoleum stone** — blocks and reliefs of the ruined Wonder of the World went into the walls (source: Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism (muze.gov.tr); English and Russian Wikipedia) - **14th century BC** — the date of the Uluburun wreck, the museum’s star exhibit (source: Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism (muze.gov.tr); English Wikipedia (“Uluburun shipwreck”)) - **1962** — the Museum of Underwater Archaeology opened in the castle (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **1522–1523** — the knights surrendered the castle to Suleiman after the fall of Rhodes (source: Russian Wikipedia (December 1522); muze.gov.tr and English Wikipedia (1523)) - **4 towers** — English, French, Italian and German — one for each “tongue” of the Order (source: English Wikipedia; muze.gov.tr (English Tower)) - **1437** — the castle walls were completed (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **1982** — a sponge diver from Yalıkavak found the Uluburun wreck (source: English Wikipedia (“Uluburun shipwreck”); muze.gov.tr (on Bodrum’s sponge divers)) - **11th century** — the Serçe Limanı “Glass Wreck”, carrying scrap glass for recycling (source: Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism (muze.gov.tr); English Wikipedia) - **2016** — added to UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List (source: Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism (muze.gov.tr); English Wikipedia) ## Bodrum Castle tickets and opening hours Foreign visitors pay **€20** from age 8; younger children are free. One ticket covers the castle and the Museum of Underwater Archaeology inside it — there is no separate museum ticket. Buy at the gate or as an e-ticket on Türkiye's official museums website. The castle is **open every day**. From 1 October to 1 June it runs 8:30–17:30 with last tickets at 17:00; from 1 June to 1 October it stays open until 22:00, last tickets 21:30. Touring the Aegean? The **Museum Pass The Aegean** (€95, 7 days) is listed on the museum's official page and covers 40+ museums and sites in İzmir, Aydın, Muğla and Denizli — worth pricing up if you are visiting several. > **Off-season, tickets stop at 17:00** From October to May the gate closes at 17:30 and the ticket office at 17:00 — and you want about two hours inside. Arrive by 15:00. In summer it's the other way round: go in the evening, when the stone courtyards have cooled down. ## Is Bodrum Castle worth visiting? Yes — it is the one paid sight in Bodrum we would not skip. The Uluburun wreck, a 14th-century BC trading ship loaded with copper and tin ingots, is one of the great finds of underwater archaeology, and the castle itself gives you the best views over both bays. It is less worth it if you only want the photo: the castle looks best from outside, from the marina promenade or the [windmills](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/bodrum-windmills) ridge, and that costs nothing. Expect plenty of steps, uneven cobbles and little shade. ## How long do you need? Allow **about two hours** for the museum halls, the walls and the towers. In a hurry, one hour covers the essentials: the Bronze Age wreck hall, the Glass Wreck hall and the view from the English Tower. The quietest time is the first hour after opening. Coach and boat groups arrive towards midday, and the narrow tower staircases fill up fast. On summer evenings the castle stays open long after the [Mausoleum](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/mausoleum-at-halicarnassus) has closed. ## What to see inside the Museum of Underwater Archaeology - **Late Bronze Age Shipwrecks Hall** — the Uluburun wreck with its copper and tin ingots, plus a reconstruction of the ship. - **Glass Wreck Hall** — an 11th-century ship from Serçe Limanı that sank carrying broken glass for recycling, one of the museum's great glass collections. - **Amphorae** — one of the world's largest collections, from the 16th century BC to the 12th century AD. - **Carian Princess Hall** — the 4th-century BC tomb of a high-born Carian woman. - **English Tower** — the knights' story and their coats of arms, and the best view of both bays from the roof. - The chapel that became a mosque, the bathhouse, the cannon display, and altars and carved stones in the courtyards. - Necropolis halls with finds from across the peninsula, including [Pedasa](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/pedasa). ## How to get to Bodrum Castle 1. From the town dolmuş station by the bazaar on Cevat Şakir Caddesi (the old bus station), walk straight downhill along the same street towards the sea — about 10 minutes. 2. The street ends at the harbour square; the castle sits right in front of you on the headland between the two bays. 3. The entrance and ticket office are off the harbour square. Inside, everything is on foot, over steps and cobbles. 4. From Gümbet, Bitez or Turgutreis, take a dolmuş to the town station by the bazaar and walk the same 10 minutes. 5. Long-distance coaches have used the new bus station (Yeni Otogar) at the Torba junction since 2022, about 5 km from the centre. Dolmuşes run from there into town; ask when you buy your ticket whether the transfer is included. 6. From Milas–Bodrum airport (BJV), Havaş and Muttaş buses run via the new bus station to the town station by the bazaar in about 35–40 minutes. There are only a few departures a day, and Havaş has paused service in past seasons, so check the timetable before you fly or book a transfer. ## A short history of the Castle of St Peter The **Knights Hospitaller** of Rhodes started the castle in 1402 and dedicated it to St Peter; its Latin name, Petronium, is usually given as the origin of “Bodrum”. The walls were finished by 1437 and strengthened again on the landward side later in the century. Their quarry was next door. An earthquake had already toppled the **Mausoleum of Halicarnassus**, one of the Seven Wonders, and the knights carted away its blocks, columns and reliefs — you can still spot dressed blocks and marble from King Mausolus's tomb in the walls. Each tower was built by one national “tongue” of the Order. After Rhodes fell, the castle passed to Suleiman the Magnificent in 1522–1523; the chapel became a mosque, and from 1895, according to the museum, the castle served as a prison before the museum moved in in 1962. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] I'll reach the ticket office in time: 17:00 off-season, 21:30 in summer - [ ] Allowed about two hours - [ ] Good shoes — steep steps and slippery cobbles - [ ] Water and a hat — little shade in the courtyards - [ ] €20 per adult, or a Museum Pass The Aegean - [ ] Left the pushchair behind — there are lots of steps ## Bodrum Castle vs the Mausoleum and the Old Town | | Bodrum Castle | Mausoleum | Old Town | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | 15th-century fortress and museum | Foundations of a Wonder, with models | Bazaar, waterfront, white houses | | Foreign visitor ticket | €20 | €3 | Free | | Closed | Never | Mondays | Never | | Time needed | ≈ 2 h | ≈ 45 min | ≈ 2 h | | Evenings | Until 22:00 in summer | Closes 17:30 | Open 24/7 | One day in Bodrum? Do the castle and walk the Old Town around it. The Mausoleum is for ancient-history fans: little of the Wonder survives on site — its best stones are in the castle walls. ## Bodrum's historic sights compared Every historic sight in Bodrum rated by YesGo. - [Mausoleum at Halicarnassus](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/mausoleum-at-halicarnassus) — YesGo score 64/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · €3, under-8s free - [Bodrum Old Town](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/bodrum-old-town) — YesGo score 56/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · Free, open 24/7 - [Ephesus](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/ephesus) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · ≈ €40, Terrace Houses ≈ €15 - [Bodrum Ancient Theatre](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/bodrum-ancient-theatre) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free - [Bodrum Windmills](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/bodrum-windmills) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free - [Myndos Gate](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/myndos-gate) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free - [Pedasa](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/pedasa) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free, no ticket office - [Bodrum Castle](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/bodrum-castle) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · €20, under 8 free - [Gümüşlük](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/gumusluk) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free ## Ancient Halicarnassus in a day The castle in the morning, the Mausoleum and the hillside theatre after lunch, sunset at the windmills. Add them to your route and YesGo fits in the timing and walks. 1. [Bodrum Castle](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/bodrum-castle) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · €20, under 8 free 2. [Mausoleum at Halicarnassus](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/mausoleum-at-halicarnassus) — YesGo score 64/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · €3, under-8s free 3. [Bodrum Ancient Theatre](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/bodrum-ancient-theatre) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free 4. [Bodrum Windmills](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/bodrum-windmills) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free > **The classic shot is from outside** You see the whole castle from the marina promenade on the west bay and from the windmills above town. Inside, climb the English Tower for both bays and the white [Old Town](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/bodrum-old-town) on the hill. ## Good to know Locally it is just Bodrum Kalesi, and the museum inside is the Bodrum Sualtı Arkeoloji Müzesi — the same place and the same ticket. The castle closed for a major restoration from 2017 to 2020 and has been fully open since; no closures were reported as of our check. ## Tips - In summer, arrive around 18:00–19:00: the heat has eased and you still have hours before closing. - Head for the Uluburun hall first — it's the highlight and the busiest room by midday. - Look for Mausoleum stones in the walls — finely cut blocks and marble among the rough masonry. - Walk out of the gate straight into the Old Town bazaar. - End the day with sunset at the windmills on the ridge above town. ## Questions ### How much is the Bodrum Castle ticket? €20 for foreign visitors aged 8 and over; under-8s are free. It covers the Museum of Underwater Archaeology too. ### What are Bodrum Castle opening hours? Daily. 1 October – 1 June: 8:30–17:30, last tickets 17:00. 1 June – 1 October: 8:30–22:00, last tickets 21:30. ### Is Bodrum Castle open on Mondays? Yes — it is open every day of the week. ### Is Bodrum Castle worth it? Yes, for the Uluburun shipwreck and the views over both bays. If you only want photos, the outside view from the marina is free. ### How long do you need at Bodrum Castle? About two hours. One hour is enough for the wreck halls and the English Tower view. ### How do I get to Bodrum Castle? From the town dolmuş station by the bazaar, walk down Cevat Şakir Caddesi to the harbour square — about 10 minutes. Arriving by coach at the new bus station at Torba, take a dolmuş into the centre first. ### Is the Museum of Underwater Archaeology inside the castle? Yes. The museum fills the castle's towers and halls, and one ticket covers both. ### Does the Museum Pass work at Bodrum Castle? The Museum Pass The Aegean (€95, 7 days) is listed on the museum's official page. ### Who built Bodrum Castle? The Knights Hospitaller of Rhodes, from 1402, using stone from the ruined Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. ## How we checked Fees, hours and the museum pass were rechecked on 30.10.2026 on the museum's official turkishmuseums.com page; the off-season hours match muze.gov.tr. Wikivoyage lists 9:00–22:30 in summer and €23 (April 2024) — we keep the official figures. Other facts are checked against at least two sources. The surrender date differs — Russian Wikipedia gives December 1522, the Ministry 1523 — so we show both. We found no reports of closed halls in 2026; the big restoration ran from 2017 to 2020, but there is no official list of open halls, so that row is marked “verifying”. The new bus station at Torba and the town station by the bazaar come from Wikivoyage and the bus station guide. The airport bus is also “verifying”: the guide lists Havaş and Muttaş runs, while Wikivoyage said Havaş was not running in 2023. ## Sources - Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism (muze.gov.tr): Bodrum Sualtı Arkeoloji Müzesi — hours, address, halls, history, 30.10.2026 - Turkish Museums (turkishmuseums.com): Muğla Bodrum Sualtı Arkeoloji Müzesi — Bodrum Kalesi — fees, seasonal hours, Museum Pass, 30.10.2026 - Turkish Museums (turkishmuseums.com): Muğla Bodrum Mausoleum Anıt Müzesi — fee and hours for comparison, 30.10.2026 - English Wikipedia: Bodrum Castle, Uluburun shipwreck; Russian Wikipedia: Замок Святого Петра; Wikidata Q1113602 - Wikivoyage: Bodrum — new bus station at Torba, town bus station, airport bus, seasonal hours - Bodrum bus station guide (bodrumotogar.com): town station by the bazaar, new bus station, Havaş and Muttaş airport buses, 30.10.2026 - Birgün: on the 2017 restoration closure; NTV: Bodrum Kalesi su altı arkeolojisi meraklılarını bekliyor — on the 2020 reopening --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. 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