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Izmir’s history goes back to 3000 B.C. according to the results of historical
knowledge and archaeological excavations. Findings and many investigations
have been made to enlighten Izmir’s history: The continuous excavations
on the Bayrakli ridges by Prof. Dr. Ekrem Akurgal since 1959, the discovery
of the Zeus Altar by the German archaeologist
Carl Humman in Pergamon (Bergama) between 1866
and 1878, the discovery of the Artemis Temple
in 1869 by the British Wood and the continuous excavations by Austrian
archaeologists at certain intervals of the city of ancient Ephesus
since 1904. Also many researchers in different universities are still investigating
on the city’s historical development.
Many legends are known about the derivation of the name of Izmir. According
to the knowledge acquired from scientific studies the word "IZMIR" came
from Smyrna in the ancient Ionian dialect and it
was written as Smyrna in the Attican (around Athens) dialect. The word
Smyrna was not Greek, it came from Anatolian
root like many other names in the Aegean Region
from the texts belonging to 2000 B.C. in the Kültepe settlement in
Kayseri,
a place called Tismyrna was come across and the (Ti) at the beginning was
omitted and the city was pronounced as Smyrna. So the city was called Smyrna
the early years of 3000 B.C. or late 1800 B.C. In the Turkish era the city
was called Izmir.
In the years of 3000 B.C. Western Anatolia
was under a rich Trojan civilization influence.
The settlement areas built on the Aegean coast
also developed generally under the Trojan influence.
The Hittites which Homer
wrote about in the Iliad, were an active force and civilization in the
Anatolian
mountain pastures because the Trojans were allies
of the Hittites and they had a big influence on
the Aegean settlements. As a matter of fact
Pitane (Çandarli) in the Bakirçay River basin and similar
settlements were built by the Hittites. It is believed
that the Amazons lived in the area between Caria
and the Lydia which today is the sides of the Yamanlar
Mountains, and they carried on their existence until the arrival of the
Aiolos and the Ions.
The Aiolos and the Ions who Fled from the Doric
invasion around 1000 B.C., came from Greece and settled in Izmir and its
surroundings. The important Aeol and Ionian settlements
are as follows: Bergama (Pergamon), Manisa
(Magnesia), Izmir (Smyrna), Urla (Klazomenai, near Cesme), Kemalpasa (Nimphaion), Cesme-Ildiri
(Erythrai), Sigacik (Teos),
Phokaia, Selcuk (Ephesus).
Until the 7th century B.C. Izmir got richer because of its trade with
its neighbors especially Lydia. Its good neighbor
relationships with Lydia lasted until the Lydians
were conquered by the Persians. The Persian sovereignty ended with Alexander
the Great's arrival to Anatolia in 334 B.C.
In these years, in which the Hellenistic period began, a new settlement
was formed around Kadifekale (Mount Pagos) and its city walls belong to the Hellenistic
period and have undergone many restorations in the following periods.
The city, which was tied to the Pergamon Empire
in 197 B.C., passed into the control of the Roman Empire after a short
period between 27 B.C. and 324 A.D. Roman control transformed Izmir into
an important trade and harbor city. For the west, Izmir was seen as the
center of Asia. In this period the Agora, Acropolis, Theater, Stadium,
and constructions that did not remain up to now, like the libraries
and the fountains, were built during this period.
The two roads stretching from Kadifekale (Mt. Pagos) to Ephesus
and Sardis were built during the Roman period.
In 324 A.D. after the Roman Empire was divided into two, Izmir had been
taken by the Byzantine Empire and Ephesus
especially was an important cultural and religious
center in the classic Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine
periods. An important development was not seen during the
Byzantine period.
Even though Izmir came into the possession of the Hun Emperor
Attila,
this authority did not last long and the city re-taken the Byzantines.
Kutalmisoglu Suleyman Shah in 1076 was the first conqueror
of Izmir by the Seljuk Turks. In the period that
the famous sea admiral Çaka Bey was appointed as the mayor of Izmir;
Urla, Foça and the Islands of Sakiz (Chios), Samos and Istanköy
(Cos) were conquered. After Çaka Bey’s death the city and its surroundings
passed into the possession of the Byzantines in
1098. Then Izmir was taken by the knights at the time that Istanbul
was invaded by the Crusaders. In 1320 the Turkish
sailor Umur Bey returned Izmir from the Catholic knights and added it to
the Turkish land.
In the period of the principalities, Izmir and its nearby surrounding
were under the reign of the Saruhanogullari principality. Pergamon
(Bergama) and its surroundings were tied to Karesiogullari principality.
The reign of Izmir and its surroundings passed into the Ottoman
hands completely in 1426.
The following Turkish architectural constructions
are distinguished examples of the Turkish culture built during the Ottoman
period, they have adorned Izmir for centuries: The Hisar Mosque,
The Sadirvan Mosque, the Hatuniye Mosque, the Konak Yali Mosque, the
Kemeralti Mosque, the Kestane Bazaar Mosque, the Izmir
Clock Tower, the
Kizlaragasi
Han (Inn - commercial building), the Mirkelamoglu and Cakaloglu Inns and
other inns (trade places for spending the night), Bedesten (Ottoman’s
special trade constructions).
Beginning with the 16th century Izmir had an important place in the
world trade. There was an increase in the consulates
of foreign countries especially due to the capitulations
that the Ottoman government provided for Europe.
It is known that these consulates participated
in the trade activities and each anchored their ships in the bay.
A castle was built on the narrowest point of the bay to check the ships
entering and leaving the Izmir Gulf. New constructions were built in the
second half of the century to help developing of the city’s trade. Among
these constructions, the most important examples are the customs building
in the 19th century, the sectors of packing, insurance, stock and
banking.
In the years of the struggle of Liberation,
Izmir underwent a great wreckage with huge destructions and fires. With
the driving away of the Greek army by the leadership of Mustafa
Kemal Ataturk on September 9th 1922, Izmir started to become a
modern city of the young Turkish Republic and developed this character
more everyday.
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From inscriptions that have been found, we know that the history
of the ancient city of Simena goes back to the 4th century B.C. If we go
ashore via the jetty next to the sarcophagus on the seashore and climb
the hill behind the houses, we reach the castle of Simena. This castle
was used during the Middle Ages by the Byzantines.
In the medieval walls of the inner keep are a few blocks of all that remains
of ancient temple. Inside the castle is a small natural theater carved
into the rock. This is the smallest of theaters among the cities of Lycia.
West of the theater there are rock tombs here and there. Above the rock
tombs is a Roman wall built of dressed stone and located on the wall are
late-period embrasures thus giving one a glimpse of three eras simultaneously.
On the shore are the ruins of public baths whose inscription is still legible
and reads "A gift to the emperor Titus made by the people and council of
Aperlai as well as by the other cities of
the confederation."
Looking from the castle towards Ucagiz it becomes clear how beautiful
and safe a natural harbor this really is. Simena (or Kaleköy, its present-day
name) is only a temporary shelter however. The actual shelter for yachts
is Teimiussa (Ucagiz), a landlocked bay surrounded by
green hills. There is a road overland that leads here. The ruins of the
ancient city of Teimiussa are located here. Very little
is known about the history of the city however. One inscription indicates
that its history goes back to the 4th century B.C. One sees mostly the
ruins of a necropolis here and no city walls or other major structures
have been encountered. The oldest sarcophagus is from the 4th century B.C.
and is shaped like a house. Over it is the nude portrait of a young man.
The inscription tells us that it belongs to "Kluwanimiye". The work is Roman and a later addition to the sarcophagus.
One may reach Kekova overland from Demre
Cayagzi as well as in boats that you can rent
at Kas. After leaving Kekova you
pass Kisneli Island and Asirli Island and come to Gökkaya harbor. Gökkaya is a
beautiful bay and a fine harbor. On the way is a big sea cave that was used at
one time by pirates. From here one comes to Cayagzi (Demre),
also called Kokar bay, alongside of which are the ruins of Andreake. From
here, one may take a car to Myra, the city
of St. Nicholas, which is quite close. This
is also a place from which one may visit other Lycian
cities as Isinda at Belenli, Apollonia at Kilincli, Istlada at Kapakli,
Kyaenai at Yavu, and Trysa and Sura at Gölbasi. The area is also filled
with thousands of Lycian sarcophagi lying everywhere.
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Kekova Island and the town of Kale nearby Antalya
make an idyllic daytrip for the traveler looking for a combination of sunshine,
swimming and fascinating historic ruins. Many operators run trips from
Kas but the journey is much shorter from Cayagzi,
the harbor of Demre. Along the stony coastline
the boatman may stop at a cave, or point out the occasional goat or the
smoldering pyramids of wood used by peasants to make charcoal, the product
may sit in plastic sacks at the water's edge, waiting to be taken away.
Along the edge of the island facing the mainland lie the fascinating
half-submerged remains of a Lycian sunken city,
and probably from Byzantine times later on. Signs
warn against skin-diving, so you can not swim here because many foreigners
in the past took a piece of ancient relics with them as a souvenir. The
boatman will allow the passengers on board off for a swim further to the
west, where the remains of a Byzantine chapel
stand on the beach and where further sunken remains can be explored at
ease by the swimmer with mask and snorkel.
A fascinating Lycian necropolis, with chest-type
tombs spread out along the coastline, lies at Teimiussa, near the present-day
Ucagiz on the mainland across from Kekova. This can also be reached by
track from the main road between Kas and Demre,
where it is signposted. The boat-tripper may be content with a sea-born
view and pass to Kale, the ancient Simena, which
sits nearby below the crenellated ramparts of an earlier hilltop Roman castle.
The castle houses a small theater, cut into the rock, for just about
300 people, a sign that this was a minor settlement in Roman times. Down
in the harbor the turquoise sea laps at waterside restaurants offering
good Turkish food including locally caught fish.
A lone Lycian sarcophagus standing in a few centimeters
of water at the western side lures visitors to pose beside it for photographs.
Today Kekova is a very popular anchorage for sailors
who enjoy the history together with the nature.
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Although the Beldibi cave in the vicinity shows signs of pre-historic dwelling,
we can trace the city of Phaselis no further back than the 7th century
B.C. The city was colonized by Greeks from Rhodes, possessed three natural
harbors, and was close to a richly forested region. However, as in other
areas of the coast of Anatolia, there were settlements
before the arrival of the Rhodeian colonists, and therefore it was probably
founded first by force, or perhaps by gradual integration with the local
peoples, after their initial acceptance of the colonists.
Phaselis fell into Persians hands after they took Anatolia,
and later on to the hands of Alexander the Great
after he defeated the Persians. Phaselis opened its doors to Alexander,
admitting him as a guest. It was here that Alexander
accepted many of the envoys from the cities of Pamphylia,
then taking each of the coastal cities in turn, advanced to Gordion.
After the death of Alexander, the city remained
in Egyptian hands from 209 B.C. to 197 B.C., under the dynasty of Ptolomaios,
and with the conclusion of the Apamea treaty, was handed over to the Kingdom
of Rhodes, together with the other cities of Lycia.
From 190 B.C. to 160 B.C. it remained under Rhodeian hegemony, but after
160 B.C. it was absorbed into the Lycian confederacy
under Roman rule. Phaselis, like Olympus, was under
constant threat of pirates in the 1st century B.C., and the city was even
taken over by the pirate Zekenites for a period until his defeat by the
Romans. In 42 B.C. Brutus had the city linked to Rome. During the Byzantine
period, the city became a bishopric, although in the 3rd century A.D.,
its convenient harbor had fallen under the threat of pirates once again.
So it began to lose importance, suffering further losses at the hands of
Arab ships, until totally impoverished in the 11th century A.D. When the
Seljuks
began to concentrate on Alanya and Antalya as
ports, Phaselis ceased to be a port of any note.
Although the ruins are not extremely exciting, the setting is one of
the more beautiful, incomparably romantic ones that can found on this part
of the Mediterranean coast.
Phaselis is a city of natural harbors of which she had at least three.
Near the car park is the northern harbor, next to this the naval base,
and to the south the southern harbor, popular today with swimmers and yachts.
The two small islets on the northern harbor were joined to the mainland
by a pier which extended from the walls around the promontory. It is still
possible to see the remains of this pier and the walls.
In this once favored port of ancient times, the
visitor can find many
ancient ruins. The remains of the aqueduct are partially standing; beyond
these one can see the naval harbor road, which is linked to the northern
harbor. On the road facing the southern harbor is a portal leading to the
harbor, built during the reign of Hadrian. On the sides of the roads are
to be found the remains of a large number of shops. Across the tree-covered
site to the south of this road can be seen the commercial agora, the Domitian
Agora and the later agora. Returning along the same route you pass through
the Gate of Hadrian along the main road and come to the theatre. The Acropolis
was surrounded with walls and the theater was founded on the north-western
slopes. The auditorium and skene are still identifiable, and date from
Roman period.
After looking at the theater, you may continue to the harbor area and
visit the inner harbor. The necropolis was situated stretching beyond the
aqueduct over the steep slopes behind the harbor. There are still many
graves to be seen there.
The three harbors are perfect for swimming since part of the ruins are
now submerged, making swimming and snorkeling very entertaining and exciting.
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The Chimarea take its name from the myth of Bellerophon.
The Lycian King, Lobates, sent Bellerophon
to kill the fire-breathing monster, part lion, goat and serpent. With the
aid of the winged horse Pegasus, he succeeded, and returned, after completing
other tasks set by Lobates, to Xanthus
where he married the king's daughter and became heir of the Lycian
throne. Carried away by his success, Bellerophon
tried to ride Pegasus up to Mount Olympus; for his presumption, he earned
a great thunderbolt from Zeus.
Today, the site is known as Yanartas (burning stone in Turkish), because of the blue flames sparkling out from the rocks at the bottom of Tahtali mountain at around 250 meters above the sea
level. Chemical analysis show that it's the methane gas coming out off
the earth. Some historic writers mentioned about these flames since
from the 4th century BC, and that sailors in the past used the flames as a lighthouse while they sailed along this coast at night time. One has to trek
a little bit to get up to these flaming rocks, the view is very
interesting especially at night time. The ruins near the flames are
mostly from the Byzantine period, but there are also some remainings from earlier periods such as of a pagan temple dedicated to Hephaestus.
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Though a very ancient city nearby Antalya, in the Mediterranean coast of Anatolia, the early history of Olympus is shrouded in mystery. We know it was an important Lycian city by the 2nd century B.C, and that the Olympians worshipped Hephaestos (Vulcan), the god of fire. No doubt this veneration sprang from reverence for the mysterious Chimeira,
an eternal flame which still springs from the earth not far from the
city. The town declined in the 1st century B.C. until the arrival of
the Romans in
the 2nd century A.D. In the 3rd century pirate attacks brought
impoverishment. In the Middle Ages, Venetians, Genoese and Rhodians
built fortresses along the coast, but, by the 15th century Olympus had
been abandoned.
Today the site is fascinating, not just for its ruins that are
fragmentary and widely scattered amidst the thick greenery of wild
grapevines, flowering oleander, bay trees, wild figs and pines, but for
its site, just inland from a beautiful beach along the course of a
stream which runs through a rocky gorge.
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Kas
Kas was originally called Habesos or Habesa in the ancient tongue
of Lycia and later was given the name Antiphellos.
Kas was founded on the ancient town of Antiphellos and the Lycian
style sarcophagus at the beginning of the avenue running down to the port
is almost the symbol of this lovely town near Antalya in the Mediterranean
region south of Turkey.
Antiphellos, which once was a member of the Lycian
League, is known to have gained reputation and importance as a port town
during the Hellenistic period, sustaining its significance as one of the
leading towns during the Roman period as well.
Today's Kas is a coastal town of the Lycians.
"Phellos" is the Greek word for "stony place" and this name is very well
suited to Kas. Its well preserved rock tombs and theater are well worth
seeing.
Kas today is a small and charming coastal resort where many sailing
boats anchor in its small marina.
Kalkan
Kalkan is a lovely small hilltop town that overlooks a tiny bay.
Its quaint, traditional, white-washed houses, shuttered windows and balconies
garlanded with brilliant flowers that cascade to the streets below, make
it the ultimate in a peaceful holiday town in the Mediterranean
region of Turkey. Narrow winding streets lined
with souvenir shops lead down to the charming marina.
Every morning boats busily take tourists
to one of the nearby beaches or small bays. As the sun sets it is Kalkan
style to meet on the roof terraces for a drink before dinner and enjoy
the comings and goings of the yachts, the business
of the marina and the panoramic view.
Kalkan is situated on a beautiful small bay near
Antalya province. Nearest airport
is Dalaman (2 hours by taxi). You can enjoy a daily island
excursion in a gullet (wooden hulled local boats),
a moonlight dinner cruise, or go by minivan to
the nearby villages of Patara and Bergin. Patara
beach is a 20 km long, unspoiled white sand beach 12 km from Kalkan. There
is another beautiful small sandy beach (Kaputas beach) 5 km from Kalkan.
Unfortunately there are no sandy beaches in Kalkan.
Aperlai
Aperlai is located on the Sicak peninsula, near the Sicak jetty.
A Lycian city, Aperlai’s history is known from
coins bearing its name that have been discovered and goes back to the 4th
or 5th centuries B.C. Aperlai was the head of the Lycian
Confederacy, of which Simena and Apollonia
were also members.
The city walls begin at the seashore and are fortified with towers at
intervals. These walls, with their rectangular and polygonal construction,
are from Roman times. Other remains at Aperlai are all from the Byzantine
and later periods. The western reaches of the wall are of rectangular construction.
There are three gates in this wall, two of which have a plain and the third
a blind archway. The southern reaches of the walls are of polygonal construction
and in a bad state of repair. This side is reinforced with two towers and
it is here that the main gate was located. Outside the walls are typical
Lycian sarcophagi from Roman times.
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Perge
Perge (18 kms from Antalya ) was an important
city in Pamphylia (today's Mediterranean
region). It was settled by the Hittites around
1500 B.C. Kestros (Aksu) river, which runs near acropolis, made Perge like
a port because it was possible to navigate. An important trade route starting
from Side run through Perge. It is also famous by the fact that when St.
Paul started his journeys, he visited Perge in 46 A.D. and preached
his first sermon here. That's why it became an important city for the
Christians during Byzantine
period.
To understand the importance of the city it is necessary to visit its
remains. You can see the ruins of the antique theatre (capacity 12,000
people), its stage has marble relieves depicting the life of Dionysos;
a stadium, which is in a shape of "U" for 12,000 people; remains of the
first church built in Perge, an agora, which has dimensions of 76x76 m.
and it's surrounded by Corinthian columns, in the middle of it there is
a round temple of Tyche (2nd century
A.D.); a basilica - another structure from Christian
Era with three entrances, a good example of a Roman Bath in the southern
part of the city, and Hellenistic gates which later were converted into
a court of honor by Plancia Magna. This city produced many famous personalities;
among them we can mention Varius, the philosopher, the physician Asklepiades,
the famous mathematician Apollonius and female Roman ruler of the city
Plancia Magna.
Aspendos ( Belkis )
Aspendos
nearby Antalya
is famous for its best-preserved theater of antiquity built in the 2nd
c. AD with a capacity of 15,000 people. Still used today for performances
and festivals, the theater's galleries, stage decorations
and acoustics all testify to its architect Xenon's success. Next to
the stage there is a small room which is used as a small museum where you
can see some of the masks and clay tickets. Nearby stand the remains of
a basilica, agora and one of the largest aqueducts in Anatolia.
Here you can visit also the acropolis of the city with a great view of
the river.
The river passing next to the city is called Köprüçay
(ancient Euromydon) and was navigable once upon a time. This was also the
place where the Persians used to breed their horses between 6th-4th c.
BC. during their rule in Asia Minor.
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Side town was one of the ancient ports of Pamphylia on the Mediterranean Sea, located on a tiny peninsula about 80 kilometers (50 miles) east of Antalya. The word "side" in local Anatolian
language meant "pomegranate". Some historians say that the city was
settled around 7th century BC and than came under the rule of the Lydians, Persian, Alexander The Great's, Seleucid Empires, Pergamon Kingdom, Romans, Byzantines, and Turks respectively.
Side minted its own coins during the 5th century BC, a sign of strength and richness at that time. In the 4th century BC Alexander the Great captured the city without any fight, this was a peaceful period for whole region.
In 190 BC, Side has allied with Antiochus III, king of Syria, and his
commander Carthaginian Hannibal to fight against the Rhodian fleet, but
they lost the naval battle and the city was occupied. In the 2nd
century BC Side became a rich and prosperous city of Pamphylia again thanks to its location and the trade, actually it was a intellectual and cultural center too. In the 1st century BC Side was controlled by pirates and turned into a slave market, but with the arrival of the Romans these pirates had to leave. During the Roman rule, Side lived once more its heydays with its large harbor, trade between Anatolia and other ports of the Mediterranean, its important slave trading market and so on. Under the Byzantine
rule, it was an important a Bishop center as well. Arab raids in the
7th century AD destroyed Side and its inhabitants abandoned the city.
Side was not a settlement during the Seljuk or Ottoman periods.
Today excavations and studies show that Side was a very important city in the Mediterranean
for several centuries. It was surrounded on all four sides by high
walls to protect the city from both land and sea. The main gate of the
city was built during the Hellenistic period to the east and it was
protected by two towers. There were two main streets in the city, with
columned porticos and shops behind them.
The Nymphaeum, a large monumental fountain, was built just outside
the city wall and opposite the main gate. It had a large pool with
ornamented niches, from which the water was flowing out. The city had
also a perfect sewage system with terracotta pipes and vaults under the
streets.
The square shaped (100 x 100 meters or 330 x 330 feet) Agora, the
market place, is surrounded by porticos on four sides with shops under.
It's located opposite the museum today. On the south-west corner of the
Agora adjacent to the theater, there was a public toilet with a
capacity of 24 people, one of the best examples of Roman latrines. A
circular temple in the middle of Agora was dedicated to Tyche,
god of Fortune. This Commercial Agora was connected to another
square-shaped but smaller agora which was called as State Agora and
used both for state affairs and slave trade. There was also a Gymnasium
surrounded by porticos and composed of three halls, just to the south
side of the Agora.
The theater is a unique example in Anatolia
because of its plan and construction type, and is one of the best
preserved ancient theaters in the world. It was built in the 2nd
century AD on arches instead of a slope like in other Roman theaters
elsewhere. It was formed by three sections: orchestra, scene, and cavea
with a capacity of 20 thousand spectators approximately so this made it
Pamphylia's
largest theater. Besides regular performances, also gladiator and
animal fights were organized in the theater. During the early Byzantine period it was used as an open-air church too by local Christians.
Side has great temples from the Roman period. Especially two of them are located by the sea near the harbor; one was dedicated to Athena and other one to Apollo.
They were entirely built of marble in peripteros plan with Corinthian
style capitals. In the 5th century AD a large Christian basilica was
built in front of these temples, which were destroyed during the Arab
raids in Asia Minor
around the 7th century. Restoration of the temples are still being
carried out. Another important temple, dedicated to the god Men (god of
moon), was built by the end of the 2nd century AD to the east of the
arcaded street. It has a semicircular base with Corinthian column
capitals. And finally another temple, probably belonging to Dionysus, was built between the arcaded street and the theater.
A huge (40 x 50 meters or 130 x 164 feet) Roman public bath lies on the arcaded street as well, and is well preserved.
There are also big cemeteries (Necropolis) outside of the walls and
aqueducts used to bring water to the city from about 25 kilometers (15
miles) away. Side has been excavated by archaeologists since 1947 and
excavations continue also in present day.
Today, Side is a major tourist resort with its sandy beaches and great hotels. It offers history, sea and sun vacation, and many water sports activities. Nearby Aspendos theater and Perge site, Manavgat river, and the city of Antalya are easily reached if you're based in Side.
Side Museum
A huge Roman baths next to the theater is turned into a museum
today. Originally the building was built in the 5th century AD and
restored in 1960, than opened as a museum. The structure is formed by 5
rooms entered through two arched doorways. The first room was the
frigidarium, coldest section of the baths. From here, there is a
connection to the sweating room. The third and the largest room in the
complex is known as caldarium, hottest section of the baths where the
heating system was passing underneath its marble floor. After this,
there was a tepidarium or washing area formed by two rooms. There was
also a palaestra in front of the baths for physical exercises.
Side Museum hosts most beautiful archeological pieces collected from the region
in its halls, all the statues found during excavations between 1947 and
1967 have been removed here. The museum has collections from the
Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods; inscriptions, statues, friezes, amphorae, altars, tombs and tomb stalls, columns and capitals, etc.
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Alanya town is located about 100 kilometers (65 miles) to the east of Antalya, on a peninsula between the Mediterranean Sea in the south and the Taurus Mountains in the north. It's one of the most popular holiday destinations of Turkey
today especially for Sun - Sea - Sand lovers. It has many beaches with
a blue flag, awarded by a non profit organisation "Foundation for
Environmental Education" (FEE), and many hotels and resorts along the
coast on sandy beaches. Therefore, every year millions of tourists
choose Alanya for their holidays.
Most of the foreign visitors to the town are from Germany, Holland,
Scandinavia, and Russia. Lately, many foreigners have bought (and
continue to buy) property in and around Alanya for their holidays or for the retirement. It became a popular area especially for the German nationals.
Historicaly, the town stood between Cilicia and Pamphylia
regions in the south. The first foundations are not quite known but
during the excavations in several caves nearby, it's discovered that
the area was inhabited since the Paleolitic ages. Around the 4th
century BC, the city was known as Coracesium. The Seleucids tried to
capture it but failed. Later on it became the center of piracy in the Mediterranean especially during the reign of the rebel Diodotus Tryphon. Roman general Pompey the Great captured the city in 65 BC, putting an end to the pirates' rule. During the Roman
period, the city prospered and minted its own coins in the 2nd century
AD, which was a sign of richness and prosperity at that time.
After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the Byzantines ruled the city. They called it as Kalonorosa, meaning "beautiful mountain". There aren't much details from the Byzantine period but it must have been a Christian city like the rest of Cilicia and Pamphylia.
During the Medieval ages the city was know with different names;
Candelor, Scandelore or Galenorum, named by the Genovese, Venetians,
and the Cypriots.
Around 11th and 12th centuries the city changed hands between the Seljuk Turks, Byzantine ruler Alexios I Komnenos, First Crusade, and the Armenian ruler Kyr Vard. Finally, it was captured in 1221 by the Seljuk
Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat who gave his name to the city and called it as
Alaiye. During this time, the town lived its hay-days again. Major
construction and repair projects were carried out buy the sultans,
making the city an important trade port for western Mediterranean.
After the fall of Seljuks, the city was captured by Karamanlids and other Anatolian principalities, as well as by Lusignan kings from Cyprus and then Egyptians. During the Ottoman rule after 15th century, the city lost its importance. It's said that Atatürk called the town as Alanya instead of Alaiye in 1933, so that became the modern name of the city.
Alanya is one of the best preserved Seljuk cities today. It has many ancient sites, monuments, and caves, as well as natural beauties.
Alanya Fortress
The fortress is built on a hilltop and surrounded by a 6,5 km (4 mi)
long wall, equipped with 140 towers and about 400 cisterns. In the
highest section, which is the western part of the hill, the fortress
reaches at 250 meters (820 feet) above sea level. Eastern section of
its wall is going down the hill all the way to the sea, until it reaches the Red Tower. The castle as we see it today was built in the 13th century by the Seljuk
sultan Alaaddin Keykubat, but its foundations are dating back to the
Hellenistic period. There were arched main gates with inscriptions on
them and some smaller auxiliary gates, but many of them are damaged
today. There are several old buildings inside the castle, such as brick
cisterns, baths, and Byzantine
churches. There is also a settlement inside. The road to the castle is
open to traffic but very narrow, alternatively you can also walk to the
top in about 1 hour. There are restaurants and cafeterias on the road
along the sea side.
Kizil Kule (Red Tower)
The tower is one of the most prominent Seljuk
monuments in Alanya. Located at the harbor, this 33 meters (108 feet)
tall tower was built in the 13th century for the surveillance of the
seaport and the dockyard. It became the symbol of Alanya today with its
octagonal shape. There is a cistern in the middle of the tower, and you
can reach to the top by big stone steps. Its name comes from the red
bricks used in the costruction of its top, meanwhile the lower part was
built with local stone. There are five floors in the tower, where the
lowest floor is used for exhibitions.
Shipyard
Another fine example of the Seljuk period, the shipyard was again built by the Seljuk
ruler Alaaddin Keykubat in the 13th century and located in the south of
the Red Tower. The structure, measuring 56 x 44 meters (183 x 144
feet), has five arched and inter-connected galleries by the sea where big warships of the time were built. The shipyard also contains offices and a small mosque located on the left of the entrance. You can reach there with small boats from the sea,
the entrance is free of charge. Today, the building is illuminated at
night. There's also a gun house next to the shipyard standing on a
rock, where cannons for battleships were made.
Damlatas Cave
The cave was discovered by accident in 1948 during the works for the
construction of Alanya Harbor, and soon this natural beauty became one
of the most popular attractions in the area because it's beleived that
the air in the cave is beneficial to asthmatics. Thousands of years old
stalagmites and stalactites attracts many visitors to the cave. The
cave has a constant temperature of 22 degrees Celsius (around 72
Fahrenheit) and more than 90% of humidity. Damlatas Cave is about 30
meters (100 feet) deep and about 15 meters (50 feet) high. Other caves
near Alanya are; Dim cave, Hasbahce cave, and Sea caves.
Other important sites of interest in and around Alanya are: Alara
Fortress (37km - 23mi west of Alanya), Alara Han (Alara Inn), Sarapsa
(or Serapsu) Inn, Kargi Inn, Hasbahçe Cottage, Süleymaniye Mosque, Bedesten bazaar, Andizli Mosque,
Ehdemek (or middle castle), Hidirellez Church, Tomb of Sitti Zeynep,
Syedra ancient city, and Alanya archaeological and ethnographical
museum.
