About Alanya

Alanya is a nominee for the World's Heritage Cities of UNESCO with its thousands year history.

Weedding Gift For Cleopatra

What can you give to a woman who already has everything? This question must have passed through Marc Anthony's mind when he was thinking of a wedding gift for his wife Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt.
And guess what he chose: a place where cedar trees were abundant, crystal clear water was dazzling and the air was clean to breath. Then it was known as Coracecium nowadays Alanya.

New home for Trojan people

The very first human settlement in Alanya starts in the caves and dates back 20.000 years to the upper Palaeolithic age.  Herodotus tells that following the Trojan War people spread out to Anatolia and settled in Alanya region where Pamfilya and Cilician borders were. This town hosted also pirates who resisted the Roman Empire for ages. Alanya was ruled by Romans in medieval.

Winter Capital for Seljuk Empire

When you take a walk to the castle of Alanya you may be impressed by the history. If the ancient walls could talk they would tell you how the Seljuk Emperor Alaaddin Keykubat conquered Kolonoros (Alanya) from the Byzantians to control the whole Mediterranean Sea Region. Seljuk architecture was applied so beautifully to the town that it became the new winter capital city for the Seljuk Empire and was named Alaiye after the Emperor. 

 Alanya Fortress

The walls of the fortress stretch 6500 meters and there are 93 towers and 140 battlements. Its historical features are under protection and people still live in it. Inner Fortress, which is at the highest point of the peninsula and the Middle Fortress, in the northern side of the peninsula are museums. The most important monuments of Inner Fortress are the ruins of the palace and clover shaped church from the 6th century. 
 
Adam Atacaðý Tower is the last spot of the inner castle tour. It is related that the prisoners of the Roman times were made to play a similar gamble. They were given three stones and one who managed to throw the stone

into the sea was released whereas those who could not were thrown into the sea through a catapult. The name Adam Atacaðý (Man Thrower) is given for that reason. In the Fortress Süleymaniye Mosque, Bedesten, Andýzlý Mosque, Akbeþe Sultan Mosque, Sitti Zeynep Türbesi and Roman period churches are worth to visit. Downwards to the fortress is the Red Tower, Dockyard and Gun house. Famous 17th century Turkish traveller Evliya Çelebi calls Alanya "City of Cisterns" because of the 420 cisterns inside the Fortress. Many of these cisterns are still in use even today.  

 Mahmutlar

Mahmutlar is a Turkish town, 10 km east of Alanya, along the Eastern Beach. Number of citizens: 15.000 in the Winter, 60.000 in the Summer. A sleepy town until the start of building holiday houses for Europeans. Still pretty laid-back, but a lot more lively - also in the Winter-time. Many good restaurants, shops, banks, post-office and other facilities. Mahmutlar was well-planned and has a European standard on the infra-structure. Pipes, electric and sewer system installed early - to meet the expansion of the town.
The roads are being rebuilt (2006-2007), with cobblestone, palm-trees, flowers and water-fountains. In between the houses, there are beautiful parks - and playing-grounds for children. Most Europeans are buying apartments in Mahmutlar. The reason is that the prices are still good, but raising together with the forming of the town. In front of the entire town, the Eastern Beach is waiting for sun-licking tourists. The beach road is busy today, but construction of a new highway has been started. This road will be placed far behind the city, closer to the Taurus Mountains. And the beach road will be changed to a beautiful boulevard.

PLACES ALANYA

ALANYA CASTLE (ALANYA KALESİ)

Most of the castle was built in the 13th century under the Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm following the city's conquest in 1220. The castle is located 250 meters high on a rocky peninsula jutting into the Mediterranean Sea, which protects it from three sides. Today the building is an open air museum.

RED TOWER (KIZIL KULE)

DAMLATAŞ CAVE

Damlataş Cave was discovered in 1948 quite by accident while minig for building of the harbour.The stalactite and stalagmites inside the cave were formed in 15 thousand years. Besides its fascinating beauty the cave is famous with its air which is beneficial to asthmatic patients.

DIM CAVE (DİM MAĞARASI)

ARCHEOLOGİCAL MUSEUM ALANYA

Open from 8.30 to 12.00 and from 13.30 to 17.00.

SPORT ACTIVITIES

CLEOPATRA BEACH

ALANYA BOAT TOURS

DİM RİVER (DİM ÇAYİ)

JEEP-SAFARİ

RAFTİNG

ATV SAFARİS

DIVING

SEA PARK

MANAVGAT RIVER BOAT TOUR

WATER PLANET AQUAPARK

SAKLIKENT SKİ RESORT

PAMUKKALE

KAPADOKYA