A Walk Around Old Datca, Turkey

The little chapel on the island at Agia Marina at the entrance to Pedi Bay, Symi - beautifully maintained by her wardens and a popular venue for wedding blessings.

A tiny neglected and defaced Greek chapel near the shore in a small bay near Datca, Turkey.  It is now used a a cattle byre.  A very different story to the brightly whitewashed chapel on Agia Marina, Symi.

A restoredl 19th century neo-classical house in Old Datca, (Eski Datca), Turkey.  While the architecture echoes that of Symi and the original residents were undoubtedly Greek a huge difference between Symi and Datca is the bountiful supplies of water on the Datca peninsular.  Even this late in the season streams and rivers criss cross the landscape and this mansion has a splendid garden with ponds and fountains.

Another view of the same garden, looking towards an adjoining property.

As we strolled around Old Datca and spotted this ginger tom, mewing at a kitchen window.  

More Old Datca houses that have been restored but without the painstaking attention to detail that is characteristic of Symi.

The mosque in Eski Datca.

Where Symi is famous for its delicate ochre and terracotta palette and decorative plaster work,  Eski Datca is predominantly unplastered, showing off the local stone.

This was the only door we saw that had the details typical of the 19th century carpentry of Symi and there is very little of it left.  Most of the elaborate trim has long since disappeared.

Everywhere is very green and lush due to the abundant water supply.  While the houses of Symi have little outside space and are often joined to their neighbours on the cliffsides, the Greek community that lived here would have been very comfortable, with big gardens and plenty of privacy.

One of the few plastered houses we saw and the only one we spotted with a decorate metal grille in the bull's eye on the pediment.

Regular visitors to Symi from many years ago, particularly those who used to read our newspaper, the Symi Visitor, may remember the name Nihat Akkaraca.  He was a local historian in Datca and played a large role, not just in restoring Eski Datca, but also in fostering links between the communities of Symi and Datca.  He sadly passed away a few years ago but this small square in Eski Datca is named after him.

I went to Datca, Symi's Turkish neighbour, for the weekend, and I thought you might be interested to see the architecture of the old village, a little way inland from the modern seaside resort town of Datca.  It is amazing what a difference a plentiful water supply makes! I imagine that in the old days of the Ottoman empire when there was no international boundary between the two, Greek families sent barrels of water by caique across from verdant Datca to their parched cousins on Symi.

I am switching to winter hours this week so I will only be in the Symi Visitor Accommodation office three mornings a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Have a good week.

Regards,
Adriana