It almost dominates these lands with its blue endless beauty. The origin of maritime in Bodrum goes back to ancient times. Throughout history, Bodrum has trained three great admirals, two of which are women. Artemisia I, the hero of the Salamis Naval Battle, Artemisia II, who defeated the Rhodesians, and Turgut Reis, the famous Ottoman Admiral who instilled fear in his opponents in the Mediterranean.…   

The Ottoman Shipyard is one of the most important pages of Bodrum’s maritime and boatbuilding history in the modern period. With the importance given to shipbuilding in the Ottoman period, Bodrum Shipyard made its name known and enriched the vast maritime heritage of today with the reputation created by the solid galleons built. This shipyard contributed to the Ottoman navy with the galleons it built in the XVIII and XIX centuries, and worked to maintain its power in the seas. It is a center where both new galleons are built and damaged galleons are repaired.

The Ottoman Shipyard is located on the roadside in the western part of the Bodrum marina. Built against pirate attacks at the entrance of the shipyard, the Ottoman Tower continues its course in history as the “Ottoman Shipyard Tower District Governorate Art Gallery” as a venue for artistic exhibitions.

The first information about the existence of the Ottoman Shipyard in Bodrum is based on the Mustafa Pasha foundation charter from Kızılhisar in 1727. It is seen in the documents that Chief Admiral Cafer Pasha had a galleon built in Bodrum in 1771.

Mustafa Pasha, who came from Kızılhisar, and his son Chief Admiral Cafer Pasha, who played an important role in the Turkish Maritime History in the 18th century, are buried in the seaside tomb located on the upper part of the shipyard. The mausoleum was built around 1727.

Mustafa Pasha from Kızılhisar, the governor of Rhodes, had a mosque and a school built in Bodrum, apart from the pirate pursuit, shipbuilding, etc. services. Cafer Pasha, on the other hand, is a captain who knows the Mediterranean from every corner and corner, as stated in the Ottoman documents. He served as the Chief Admiral in 1770. His last duty is the governor of Rhodes.

The cemetery, which has historical value, was formed after Mustafa Pasha was buried in the tomb. The oldest stone in the cemetery dates back to 1751 and belongs to a woman.

The information obtained from the tombstones and the care taken in the stonework reveals that this is the cemetery of the elite.