 About
Alanya |
|
| |
Alanya and Culture!
Castle of Alanya
The castle is located above sea level and so the views from
there are breathtaking. It is difficult to confirm the exact
foundation date of the castle but contributions from the Romans,
Byzantines and Seljuks are there to be seen. However the biggest
influence on the size and shape of the castle can be ascribed
to the Seljuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat. A 6km town wall with
140 watch towers winds around the castle. It made it almost
impossible for would-be attackers to go undiscovered. On the
way up the winding and sometimes very steep road you will
find small cafes and cosy restaurants. Near the sultan palace
you can visit a church/mosque which is a very important relic
of the Christian and Islamic heritage of the town. You can
also visit the area of the castle where many prisoners from
the castle’s dungeons met their fate. When the dungeons
became overcrowded, the prisoners who had been there the longest
were packed together on a little platform at the edge of the
castle. One by one the prisoners pushed each other over the
edge until only one was left. He then got three shots at throwing
a stone over the edge and into the sea. If he failed he too
was pushed over the edge with certain death as a result!
The road to the castle is very narrow and busy and therefore
care should be taken when walking. |
| |
Red Tower
After battling for five years, Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat
finally conquered Alanya and had The Red Tower built primarily
to defend the town`s shipyard. The Red Tower is one the town`s
main attractions and landmarks. The octagonal (eight sided)
tower was finished in 1226 and is 33 metres high with five
floors. The lowest floor these days often houses exhibitions,
for example historical collections of fabrics, work tools,
weapons or other items from the Seljuk and Ottoman periods.
Characteristic of the Red Tower are the oblong embrasures,
which can be seen on all sides of the tower. Soldiers in the
tower could defend themselves without being hit and, if attackers
approached too closely, boiling water or other unpleasant
substances could be poured out through the small openings.
|
| |
Shipyard
The shipyard, consisting of five docks and constructed
in 1226 by the Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat, is 56 metres long
and 44 metres deep. The entrance to the shipyard is behind
the Red Tower. The shipyard also contains offices and a little
mosque located on the left of the entrance. At night all these
buildings are illuminated creating a fantastic sight. The
shipyard can be visited at closer quarters by renting a small
fishing boat. A trip around the rocky peninsula, where you
can see the shipyard, the lovers cave, the pirates cave and
the phosphorous cave, costs approximately 10 euros. |
| |
Historical Museum
The historical museum of Alanya opened its doors in 1967
and is divided into two sections; ethnographical and archeological.
The museum displays the most important and best preserved
discoveries from the whole Alanya region and the collection
expands each year as new objects from different excavations
are recovered. In the ethnographical section coins from the
Lydian, Roman and Ottoman periods are displayed. Taking pride
of place in this area is a statue in bronze of the hero Hercules
from Greek mythology. The ethnographical section also houses
several pots found in the sea. It is possible to see how houses
were furnished in the past and there is a fine collection
of weapons, woven carpets, old Korans, articles of clothing
and even a beautifully decorated library. The archeological
section of the museum is outdoors and just as interesting
as the ethnographical section. It is laid out as a large garden
with flowers and animals.
In the garden there are examples of different graveyards from
the Greek, Roman, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. Although some
locals believe the graveyards are real, this is not the case!
Furthermore it is possible to see how the production of olive
oil took place in the past. |
| |
Atatürk House
This house is where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder
of the Turkish Republic, spent the night of 18 February 1935
when president. The house is of little historical importance
but the owner, Rifat Azakoglu, left it to the Ministry of
Culture as a museum. It is however of interest to see how
a well to do family lived during the 1930’s in Alanya.
It is a three storey stone building with a garden and it is
a good example of 19th Century Turkish architecture. Built
between 1880 and 1885 it is in the style known as (em)Karniyarik(/em)
where all rooms on both sides open onto an anteroom. On the
first floor there is an exhibition of some of Atatürk’s
personal belongings along with photographs and the telegram
he sent to the people of Alanya. Other historical documents
and information are also on show.
The upper floor is reached by way of a wooden spiral staircase
and is fitted out with traditional period furniture. |
|
Alanya
-A town with many beautifull faces and culture. Alanya offers
more than sun, long beaches and a healthy climate. More and more
people choose a life in our nice town Alanya and decide to buy
a property down here. 
