Knidos

Photo by Dick Osseman: the ruins of the round Temple of Aphrodite, foreground and the two harbours, background.

At the end of the Datca Peninsula, which separates the Aegean from the Mediterranean Sea in Southwestern Turkey, lies the ancient Hellenic Dorian city of Knidos, or Cnidus. In the now-ruined temple of Aphrodite, the famous statue of the goddess, sculpted by Praxiteles, once stood tall. Nearby is a huge amphitheater.

With its excellent accessibility by sea, this city was was served by two harbours, one for military triremes and the other to serve the interests of commerce.

On the other hand, even today, to travel there by land is quite an undertaking. However, the narrow, rocky, mountain road with its precipitous drops to the clear sapphire waters of the Mediterranean rewards the traveller with views of unparalleled beauty.

Though years have passed, I clearly remember how we refreshed ourselves on the journey with bunches of fresh-picked grapes sold to us by patient children through the open windows of the car. Upon arriving in Knidos, we cooled off by swimming among the ruins.