The works initiated by the Gümüşlük Municipality to restore the 300-year-old historical Ottoman mosque in Bodrum’s Karakaya Village and the ruined village house in its garden into an ethnography museum and country garden, and to restore 15 houses built on Asar Hill to protect them from pirates in the past, have come to an end.

Gümüşlük Municipality Council took a decision 5 years ago to implement the Urban Design Project in Karakaya Village, which has a history of 800 years. Environmental analyzes were carried out for the 60 historical houses and 300 years old Ottoman mosque in Karakaya Köylü, and projects for the preservation of history began to be developed. Afterwards, an application was made to the Muğla Cultural and Natural Heritage Preservation Board for the necessary permits. The board gave the necessary permission for the restoration work two years ago. Upon this, various architects were interviewed and ideas were exchanged about the works to be done in the region. Finally, cooperation was established with İzmir Institute of Technology, Faculty of Architecture. A group of graduate students led by Izmir Institute of Technology, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Restoration Lecturer Figen Akpınar and Research Assistant Çağlayan Deniz started a two-week study in the region within the scope of the “Karakaya Village Historical Environment Protection Project”. After the studies, he started to take an inventory of the historical texture in order to transform the historical Ottoman mosque and the ruined house in its garden into an ethnographic museum and country garden, and the 14 houses built on Asar Hill to be protected from pirate attacks in the past into a hostel. It was stated that after the completion of the inventory work, the project will be implemented and will be completed within a year.

Figen Akpınar, Lecturer at Izmir Institute of Technology, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Restoration, said, “There is almost no historical place left in the Aegean and Mediterranean that has not been plundered for profit. For this reason, the project to be developed in the historical Karakaya Village, one of the most beautiful examples of its kind, which has been very well preserved until today, is of great importance in terms of cultural tourism, starting from the small mosque and the country coffee.

Stating that they aim to realize the project in a short time with the support of non-governmental organizations, CHP mayor of Gümüşlük, Mehmet Ülküm, also said: We got all the permissions to build an ethnographic museum. With the conservation project prepared by the university, we will create the museum, which is sociologically important in Bodrum’s past and will include agriculture, household appliances and clothing used in life. We will restore the 15 ruined and dilapidated houses in the village and bring them into boarding houses. We will ensure the revival of the centuries-old life in Karakaya Village. Those who come to Gümüşlük will live intertwined with history. The furnished house belonging to the same period will stay in hostels. The project, which will bring to light all the unknowns of the history of Karakaya and Bodrum, will cause a flood of tourists to the region.”

Link