摘要: Description　　Bein is located 5 km South of the Milas District, in the Muğla Province, southwest of Turkey.　　The city hosted many civilizations during the Geometric, Archaic, Classical periods,

Description

　　Beçin is located 5 km South of the Milas District, in the Muğla Province, southwest of Turkey.

　　The city hosted many civilizations during the Geometric, Archaic, Classical periods, and also hosted the Romans, Byzantines, Menteşeoğulları Sultanate and Ottomans. However, it was not a prominent city in ancient times or during the Byzantine period. It has become prominent in the second half of the 13th century, especially while it was the capital city of the Menteşeoğulları Sultanate which existed more than 200 years. Menteşeoğulları dominated an area in western-Anatolia including Muğla, Balat, Milas, Beçin, Çine, Tavas and Köycegiz.

　　A fortress and the main settlement area in the south of this fortress constituted the Beçin City. Within the fortress can be found Kızıl Han, Kara Paşa Han and Emir Courtyard, the Orman Lodge, the New Church and the Byzantine Chapel as well as other archaeological remains. The most prominent structures in the city are the Inner Citadel, the Anonym Tombs numbered 1, 2 and 3, the Big Hamam, Zaviye, the Mültezim House, the Orhan Mosque, Hankah, Ahmet Gazi Madrasa, the Bey Mansion and the Bath, the Domed Fountain, Kızılhan, Seymenlik Zaviye, Menteşe Cemetery, Yelli Külliye and the Kara Paşa Madrasa. Most of these structures date back to the 14th and 15th centuries except the citadel which was built from the ruins dating back to antique ages.

　　The archaeological site of Beçin has been excavated systemically since 1972. In 2000, a hoard of coins, 60.000 of which are Islamic and 850 are European was found in Beçin. It is not only the largest hoard that has ever been found in Turkey in archaeological excavations, but also the largest cache of Ottoman coins that has ever been found.