Roman and Byzantine periods and brief rule by the Mentesogulları principality,it joined the Ottoman empire following a conquest by Suleyman the Magnificent in 1522 and came to be known as Mimaras and its later variations, Mermeris and Marmaris. Most of the Carian ruins lie in the vicinity of the Bozburun peninsula. The most important historical structure in the city center is the fortress erected by Suleyman. Thought to have been built originally by the Ionians, Marmaris Castle was opened up for settlement following the founding of the Turkish Republic in 1923. Other Ottoman buildings in the city include the Hafza Sultan Caravanserai and the vaulted bazaar in the old marketplace. For years a tranquil town of fishermen and sponge-divers, Marmaris became one of Turkey's leading centers of tourism starting in the 1980s.
Whether you arrive by plane at Dalaman or over land, when you've crossed the last hills down the road lined with pines, you'll encounter a sign saying 'Iste Marmaris':Here's Marmaris!. This is the best spot for getting a bird's eye view of the city.