The amphitheatre, spread on the slope of Gektepe hill, was built in the IV century BC under Mausolus and had a capacity of about 13,000 spectators. In 1973, after archaeological excavations on the territory of the amphitheatre, it was turned into an open-air museum. More recently, Turkcell and Ericsson have completed a major joint restoration project of this unique structure, which began in 2000 under the direction of the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology. Previous restoration work from 1976-1985 was halted due to the cessation of project funding.
The most visible sign of the new restoration phase to visitors is the entrance to the tunnel, which was discovered during the previous works but has not been fully discovered and explored until now. This tunnel is believed to lead to an ancient tomb.
