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Alanya |
HISTORY
Alanya is a city situated in the Mediterranean, in the eastern coast of Alanya Bay of the Anatolian Peninsula and its history dates back to the antiqity. However, the research done in Kadı ini Cave, near the city centre, in 1957 showed that the first settlement in Alanya dated back to late Paleolitic Age 20 thousand years ago.
It is not yet known by whom or when Alanya was built. As a city, it first appeared in history during the antiqity. In the antique era Alanya was situated between the boundaries of Pamfilya and Kilikya, and was sometimes considered to be a city of Kilikya and sometimes a city of Pamfilya. Heredot states the people that lived in the region between Pamfilya and Kilikya one descendants of people who spread to Anatolia after the Trojon war. The first historical name of Alanya is Coracesium. The person who mentioned the name of `Coracesium` for the first time in history was 4th B.C. geographer Skylaks. At that time this region was under the invasion of the Persians. After some time the city become an important center for the Mediterranean pirates and got strong enough to resist the Roman navy and became a base of the frightening pirate of the Mediterranean: Dryphon. Although VII. Antiochus, the Selefki king of the Syrian region, conquered the city in 139 B.C., Coracesium continued to be a home for the pirates for some more time. In 65 B.C., the city became a part of Rome after a naval attack by the Roman Commander, Magnus Pompelus. Following the collapse of Rome, the city went through the Byzantium era and had a new name; Kalonoros which means beautiful mountain, that was given by the sailors. In the 7th century the city resisted the Arabian invasion by strengthening its walls. When the crusaders conquered Istanbul and established the Latin Empire instead of the Byzantium in 1204, one of the feudal lords, Kyr Vart, who benefited from the lack of authority in Anatolia, took the control of Kalonoros.
In 1221, The Selcuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat, seized the control of the city that he had besieged for some time, without fighting against Kyr Vart, who surrendered. Alaaddin Keykubat got married to Kyr Vart`s daughter and had the city reconstructured and made it a winter capital city for the Selcuks. He gave the city, the name of Alanya after his own name. With its magnificient monuments and historical structure, Alanya, founded by Alaaddin Keykubat has been given the status of World Culture and Heritage nominee city by the United Nations science, culture and art institution; Unesco. Alanya, which had its most brilliant era during the reign of Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat , began to be controlled by Karamanoğulları principality whose center was Konya, after the collapse of the Selcuk State in 1300.
They made Alaiye a part of Memluk State in Egypt in 1427, in return for 5.000 golds. Alaiye was made a part of the Ottoman Empire in 1471 by Gedik Ahmet Pasha, who was one of the commanders of Fatih, the Conqueror.
The Ottomans made Alanya a part of Cyprus State in 1571 and then a part of the principality of Konya and finally that of Antalya in 1868 and in 1871 it was an administrative district of Antalya. The city was given the name the name of Alanya in 1933 with the suggestion of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of The Republic of Turkey. Alanya was an agricultural city, depending on the production of citrus fruits and bananas in the first half of the 20th century, whereas it became a center of national tourism activities based on health due to the refreshing air of Damlataş Cave in 1950s. The touristic movement of the city gained an international dimension, improving at a great pace with the help of its historical background and natural beauties. Today, Alanya is one of the biggest touristic centers of the Mediterranean with its capacity over 100 thousand beds used for tourists.
The most remarkable characteristic of Alanya, making it different from other touristic centers of the world and particularly from the Mediterranean is that the city centre has become a big holiday resort where all kinds of services and goods are available. There are lots of options as for accommodation facilities, places for entertainment and shopping centers in Alanya and its vast beaches are at your service without any payments, ensuring the quality of the International Blue Flag.
THE RED TOWER
The 33-metre tall tower was built in order to keep the harbor under surveillance at all times. The technique used in its construction, its floor plan and its construction, its floor plan and its durability make this monumental tower one of the most prominent Seljuk monument. The octagonal tower built on rocky terrain has a diameter of 29 meters.
This durable thick mortar was used in almost all of the Seljuk towers. Although the stones in certain sections have crumbled down, the mortar still remains intact. The tower was named after Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat when it was first built, but later it was renamed the red tower due to the red bricks used in the construction. Many architectural pieces dating back to the ancient times were used in its construction. Especially the ancient column shafts used horizontally in the construction of the facade give the tower an unusual appearance.
THE FORTRESS OF ALANYA
As the promontory where the fortress is situated is not easily accessible either from sea or land it was not inhabited continually throughout the history. It was surrounded by city walls first during the Hellenistic era and later new additions were constructed according to the demands of the time..The monumental fortress of
Alanya is truly the sturdiest and the most splendid of all fortresses in Anatolia today.The oldest known inscriptions too,it may be assumed that the whole fortress
was built by Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat i between 1226-1232According to the inscription on it, the octagonal structure known today as the Red Tower (Kizil Kule) was the first structure built by the Seljuk`s in Alanya and it is the key point of the fortress. The defense line that starts here, in accordance with the topography of the land ascends in a zigzagging manner although not always regularly. After a certain distance it joins a complex of buildings called Ehmedek, which was built, on top of a Hellenistic tower. The city wall, which turns southward after Ehmedek and descends, in order, to Adam Atacagi Cilvarda Burnu, Arab Evliyasi Tower, Esad Tower and then by Tophane and Tersane, ends where it starts, at the red Tower.
Since the land between the Red Tower and Ehmedek is not so steep, in order to slow down attacks from the north, curtain walls were built outside the main city walls, in many places ditches were dug in the bedrock at the first lien of defense against attacks. The first lien of the fortress must have been considered secure since no such defense elements were used. One-hundred-forty towers are seen on top of the city walls that stretch a total of 6400 meters. These walls and towers, built with stone and mortar, had embrasures, holes to pour out hot oil and ramps to facilitate the movements of the soldiers in the fortress. The fortress was entered through the arched main gates with inscriptions on them. There were also smaller auxiliary gates. Today, only a few of these gates are in good state of preservation. The fortress of Alanya, as observed on the map, may be divided into three sections based on the city walls and various defense lines. Diskale (the outer Fortress) in the area surrounded by the walls that extend through Kizil Kule, Ehdemek, Arab Evliyasi, Tophane and then reach Kizil kule again. Kizil Kule, Tersane and Tophane are the most prominent Seljuk monuments in Alanya. Ortakale (the middle fortress) in the area surrounded by Ehdemek, Arab Evliyasi and the walls of the outer fortress. Seljuk monuments such as the Aksebe Mausoleum, baths and a building complex know as Ehdemek, as well as Ottoman Monuments such as the Süleymaniye Mosque, the hostel, the marketplace,and a late Byzantine chapel
called Arab Evliyasi are located in the Middle fortress. Iç kale (the inner Fortress) located on the highest point in the northwestern corner, of the promontory is the last shelter and point of defense. The area surrounded by high walls resembles a falcon crest and it was used for military purposes Seljuk monuments like palaces of the sultans and other important people, military establishments, training schools, cisterns as well as a church lasted to the late Byzantine era are found in the Inner Fortress. There is also an interesting little corner know as Adam Atacagi.
TERSANE (THE SHIPYARDS)
Situated to the south of the Red Tower, right by the sea, there is a covered building where the big warships of the age were built in complete security. After Sinop on the black sea coast, the Seljuk`s used this Shipyard as a naval base and sailed the Mediterranean. Following the construction of these dockyard, Alaaddin Keykubat i received the title \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Sultan of the two seas \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" The rectangular structure measures 40 by 57 meters and consists of vaulted galleries where ships were built. The galleries are connected to each other by four pointed-arches. It`s facade and all the weight-carrying elements are built of large, cut stone blocks, and the vaults of baked bricks.
THE DAMLATAS CAVE
Located at the western foot of the Fortress of Alanya, the Damlatas Cave is one of those rare caves in Anatolia which is under management,it appeals to Turkish as well as foreign tourists since the air in the cave is beneficial to asthmatics, and it is easily accessible from the center of the city. It was discovered in 1948 quite by accident, it formed as semi-crystallized limestone from the Permian period of the Paleozoic Age was shaped by erosion over thousands of years. It is approximately 100 meters from the sea and in relation to below the entrance. There are many stalactites,
stalagmitesandcolumns decorating everywhere in the halls. Following the rumors that asthmatics benefited from breathing the air in the cave, scientists analyzed a sample of the air to verify the fact that the air was indeed beneficial to patients suffering from non-allergic asthma. They found that the air in the cave contains 10to 12 times more carbon dioxide than normal air and has 90 to 100 % humidity. Temperature in the cave is 22 C. Both the radioactivity and ionization in the cave may contribute to the benefits derived from breathing the air in the cave.
THE ALARA FORTRESS
A little further from the Sarapsa Hostel, at the and of the 9 km long road that separates northward from the main road is the Alara separates northward from the main road is the Alara Stream which runs through a deep, narrow valley. On one side of the stream, on a rocky cliff stands the Alara Fortress. Behind the fortress, this is steep cliff down to the stream. The Alara stream, which originates between the mountains covered with green frosts runs at he foot of the cliff below the fortress and serpentines towards the sea.
ALARAHAN (THE ALARA HOSTEL)
Alara Hostel was the second hostel after Sarapsa on the way from Alaiye to Antalya and Konya. It is an unusual Seljuk monument since it also served a religious function as a place where certain dervishes lived in seclusion. The rectangular structure measures 38 by 50 meters and except for its esteem facade, it is constructed of cut stones. Various signs identifying the master stonecutters are seen on these cut stones. Rectangular and triangular pillars support the three facades of the structure. The plain portal with a low arch, in the middle of the northern facade, is the entrance to he hostel. Above the entrance there is an inscription of six lines in Arabic. Relieves of two schematic lion heads decorate the inscription.
IOTAPE
The 33 km. long modern road that stretches along the coast between Alanya and Gazipasa passes through the remains o Iotape. Although these ruins date back to the Roman and Byzantine eras it is possible that the city was named Iotape by the king Antiochus IV (38-72 A.D.) after his wife Queen lotape.It is known that during the reign of Antiochos IV, in some of the cities in the neighbouring state of Cilicia coins honoring Queen lotape and their sons Epiphanes and Callinicus were minted. Coins were also minted in Iotape during the Roman Empire from the time of Emperor Trajan the Roman Empire from the Emperor Valerian (270-275). On the front side of these coins is the bust of the emperor and on the backside is a description of Apollo, Tyche or Perseus.
Iotape is situated by a small natural harbor on the western side of which there is a rocky cape 60 meters wide and 30 meters high. The cape, which is surrounded by walls, like a fortress, guarded the harbor against attacks from land and sea on the cape there are remains of Roman and Byzantine structures but they are in such a bad condition that it is impossible to have an idea about their floor plans.
ALANYA ARCHELOGICAL MUSEUM
In this museum, which started to operate in the year 1967,many monuments from the Bronze Age, Urartu, Phrygia and Lydia and belonging to the Hellenistic and Roman period it is opened every day between 8 a.m.-12 a.m./1 p.m. - 5 p.m. and the entrance is due to payment Tel: 5131228
THE HOUSE AND MUSEUM OF ATATÜRK
This building was constituted in the beginning of this century and in 18 February 1935,Atatürk remained in this house and after the owner of the house donated it to the Ministry it was opened to service as the house and Museum of Atatürk It is opened every day between 8 a.m. 12 a.m./ 1 p.m. 5 p.m. and the entrance is due to payment Tel: 5133254
HASBAHÇE COTTAGE
This cottage, which was organized as a resting and hunting place during if Alaaddin Keykubat, there are many ruins of villas, baths, cisterns, pool for the for the irrigation and surrounding walls. It is in the Hasbahçe quarter.
SELJUKIANS MADRASAH
This madrasah, which was constituted by Alaaddin Keykubat during the year 1232 on a hill at Obaköy, is an example of the Seljuk`s handmade arts and education institutes.
SARAPSA (SERAPSU) INN
This inn is a Seljuk`s monument, constituted between the 1234-1246,There is also a small mosque at the east side of it .It is 15 km. Away from Alanya, on the road of Antalya.
SYEDRA ANTIQUE CITY
This city was constituted during the 3 Century B.C. and there are the ruins of baths, roads, grave with fresco signs and the ruins of a palace On the ground of the bath at the East or the cite ruins of mosaics. It is 8 km. Away from tours Alanya inside the Mahmutlar Town. You can reach until Mahmutlar Town by public taxis, and then continue by taxi or by a special from Alanya.
LEARTES ANTIQUE CITY
It is constituted on the 850 meter of the Cebelireis Mountain, 25 km away from Alanya. You can go there by taxi or by special tours.
TABLELANDS
TABLELANDS DERE & TÜRBELINAS :
This is settlement constituted on a mountain, which has a height of about 1000 meters, at Toros Mountains 30 km away from Alanya. The tableland is constituted by two settlements named Gedevet and Pinarbasi. You can reach taxi or special tours.
MAHMUTSEYDI TABLELAND:
This is the tableland most frequently visited by the local people. It is 25 km away from Alanya
TÜRKTAS TABLELAND:
This is the tableland near the Türbelinas Tableland established on the high parts of Toros Mountains, and has beautiful mountain views and picnic opportunities.
SEASHORES AND NATURAL BEACHES
INCEKUM FOREST RESTING CAMPING:
This is natural seashore 30 km. away from Alanya, on the road of Antalya where forests of pines reaches the sea with a shallow watered sea camping and picnic opportunities and beaches. The entrance is due to the payment. You can reach there Yesilköy and Manavgat, by buses going to Antalya, or by taxi or by special tours.
ULAS ROADWAY RESTING CAMPING BEACH:
This is 5 km away from Alanya on the roadway of Antalya This is also a picnic place. The entrance is due to payment you can reach there by public busses by public busses going to Konakli, Avsallar, Türkler, Türktas, Yesilköy and Manavgat, by buses going to Antalya by taxi or by special tours.
CLEOPATRA BEACH:
This is a beach looking like a small pool, placed in the Alanya cape near the Korsanlar grounded by the rocks. It is opened to the public. The umbrellas and the beds here are due to payment. There are sandwich buffets.
DAMLATAS BEACH:
It is near the Cleopatra beach, going towards the West for about the entrance is free; the umbrellas and the beds are due to payment. There are sandwich buffets.
EASTERN BEACH:
This beach continues for many kilometers from the city Centrum of Alanya to the East, towards Mersin .It is opened to the public. The umbrellas and the beds here are due to payment. There are Sandwich buffets.
DIM BROOK PICNIC AREA:
This is 15 km at the Northeast of the city. This is a beautiful picnic area with many trees omamanting untains and abundant waters. In addition, there are many restaurants where you can find alive trout fishes. You can go there by taxi or special tours.
SEA CAVES:
These are the caves located in the Southwestern side of Alanya peninsula and they have many natural and geological beauties. They have different names as Korsanlar (Pirates) Asiklar (lovers), and Fosforlu Magara (Phosphoric cave)
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