Ancient Alanya and the Alanya Fortress Complex
The fortress walls wind through
the terrain of Alanya's promontory
for 6,500 meters.
Alanya fortress lies atop a steep promontory which into the sea. Because this peninsula is difficult to reach by land or sea and is therefore easy to defend, for many centuries the "fortress rock" of Alanya has been home to human settlement. The top of the promontory was furnished with a defensive wall for the first time in the Hellenistic period. In subsequent centuries, additions were made, the last being the magnificent castle built by the Seljuk sultan, Alaaddin Keykubad.
In the second century B.C. the city was ruled by one Diodotos Tryphon. The part of the defensive wall in the middle sector that stretches from the shrine of Arap Evliyasi to the Ehmedek is thought to date from the reign of Tryphon. It is distinguishable by the size of the stone blocks and its mortarless construction.
The city itself was known as Korakesion (Coracesium) in ancient times. Until the 2nd Century B.C., it retained its independence in the face of numerous attacks thanks to the strength of its geographic situation. By the first century B.C., the city had become a pirate haven, as did much of the Mediterranean coast. Eventually the Romans had enough of the pirates and sent in forces to defeat them, including Pompey and the Roman navy, which defeated the pirates just off the coast of Alanya in 65 BC.
The history of Korakesion during the Byzantine period is largely unknown. We do know that the city in this era became known as Kolonoros (beautiful mountain). Some Byzantine structures still survive from the Byzantine period, including the 11th century Church of Saint George inside the fortress, A church called the "Arap Evliyasi" (church of the Arab saint), and a mint which still stands on Cilvarda Point which juts out into the sea. There is also a line consisting of a few Byzantine-era towers in the middle of the fortress area
During the 13th century A.D., the city was in the hands of a Christian named Kir Fard, who gave it to the Seljuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubad in exchange for the Governorship of Aksehir. Alaaddin Keykubad named the city Alaiyye, after himself. It literally means "Ala's city." It continued to be called Alaiyye until the time of the Turkish Republic, when the founder of the modern Turkish Republic, Ataturk, changed its name to Alanya.
Under the Seljuks, Alanya began its most resplendent era. The fortress itself, when completed, had walls which stretched for 6,500 meters and had 140 towers. It had three sections, an outer, middle, and inner section which would serve as a last refuge in case the outer defenses were breached. The fortress also served as a seat of government, and many people lived near it, such as in Ehmedek Village which lies within the outer fortress walls.
With the collapse of the Seljuk dynasty, control of Alanya passed to the Karamanoglu Dynasty in 1293. In 1427, the city was sold to the Egyptian Mamaluk Dynasty for 5,000 pieces of gold. In 1471, Alanya became part of the Ottoman empire when it was conquered by Gedik Ahmet Pasa. The Suleymaniye Mosque and Bedesten in the castle are important remains from the Ottoman period.
Getting to the Alanya Fortress
You'll find friendly cafes
along the road to the
Alanya fortress.
The Alanya fortress is accessible by a moderately steep, winding road (with stepped shortcuts for those on foot) which ascends the mountain. The road is around 3 kilometers long, and it takes around 40 minutes to get up to the top. If you're walking, go in the early morning hours during the hot season, and take precautions to protect yourself from the sun. There's little shade going up the hill, but the inner fortress does offer shade trees in park-like areas. Taxi drivers will be eagerly awaiting to take you up the hill, but there is also a city bus which also does the trip. You can catch one from a bus stop on Hurriyett Meydani and from Iskele and Damlatas Caddesi. It operates hourly from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and is marked "Ic Kale" for "Inner fortress."
There is also a dolmus (shared mini-bus) which departs from the Tourism Information Office, across from the museum, on Bebek Sokak. Check for a placard which says "Ic Kale."
Ehmedek Gate
You'll walk through this
gate, dating from the 13th
century, on your way to
the fortress.
You'll first enter the outer walls of the castle through the Ehmedek Kapasi (or "Ehmedek gate," also called the "double gate"), which was once the perimeter of the old Turkish quarter during Ottoman times. This gate has a Persian inscription which says the gate was built from 1226 yo 1231. There are two towers guarding the gate.
You'll be stopping off to take in some spectacular views of Alanya and its harbor along the way, as well as taking a few breaks for water and refreshments at several reasonably-priced cafes and shops selling lace, decorative gourds, and tablecloths.
Arap Evliayasi
Near the Ehmedek gate is the Arap Evliyasi, or "Church of the Arab Saint," which was a small Byzantine chapel measuring 6x6 meters. It was later turned into a mosque by the Seljuks.
Ic Kale (Inner Fortress)
The Byzantine Church of Saint
George is probably the most
interesting structure inside the
inner fortress.
Continuing further up the hill, you'll come to the Ickale, or Inner Fortress gate. The inner fortress is open from 9:00 AM to 7:15 PM. The road to the gate ends abruptly at the castle wall, with the actual gate at a 90 degree angle to the left. So if you and your band of marauders bring a battering-ram, you'll need to allow some time to get your team of attackers re-grouped and make that hard left turn. This was the purpose of the 90-degree angle of the gate in ancient times.
Church of Saint George
After entering the gate, you'll see a Byzantine-era church on the right side. Still intact are its dome with alternating niches, and the remains of its original frescoes. This church was converted to a mosque under the Seljuks.
Adam Atacagi
Many met their fate at this place
by being thrown over the edge.
On the far end of the fortress ruins is an observation platform overlooking a steep vertical drop. This was once a place of execution, where condemned criminals were thrown to their deaths on the rocks below. In a cruel last-minute chance for a reprieve, the condemned was given the chance to throw a rock and hit the water. If he did, he would be spared a violent death. Of course, this was an impossible feat. Tourists still throw rocks from this platform to see if they can hit the sea. Thankfully the place serves a much more peaceful purpose, providing beautiful vistas of the beaches and the local area.
Cilvarda Burnu
A rather tiny mint still stands on
Cilvarda Burunu, above a ruined
monastery.
Jutting off like a sword into the sea, Cilvarda Burnu is a steep protrusion from the promontory. On this protrusion lies the ruins of a darphane (mint), and a Byzantine monastery. At one time there was a path leading down to these ruins, but today it's too unsafe to make the trip. So unless you're an expert rock climber, you'll have to appreciate these buildings from the fortress above or from a boat on the sea below.
Hamam
The hamam, from the 13th century Seljuk period, has a main entrance from the east and consists of a dressing room a central main bath, and a cold room, as well as other rooms. A dome once covered the central room, which had an octagonal plan with water fountains in each corner. There is a rectangular cistern on the north side of the hamam.
Ehmedek
Worth a visit is Ehmedek, a village which has existed since Seljuk and Ottoman times. Besides houses from those eras, Ehmedek also still has its Bedesten (covered market) which now serves as a hotel. There is also a 16th century mosque, and the Aksebe Turbesi, a 16th Century tomb. Besides these various points of interest, Ehmedek Village is a very pleasant place to take a stroll in the heat of the day.
Suleymaniye Mosque
The Suleymaniye Mosque
in Ehmedek Village.
Originally built by Alaaddin Keykubad in 1231, and rebuilt by the Ottoman Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent (1530-1560). The square-planned mosque consists of a main domed chamber in the center, and rooms separated by crossed arches on the north side. Construction materials are of stone and brick. A large cistern is to the northeast corner, and next to it is a covered ablution fountain. Above the main entrance is an Arabic inscription: "God = Allah." The minaret, built on a square base, rises in the northwestern corner.
Aksebe Mausoleum
According to the seven-lined inscription on the structure, this mausoleum was built in 1230 during the reign of Sultan Alaaddin Keykubad, by someone named Aksebe. There is no information on the identity of Aksebe, but he was probably one of the earliest overseers of the Alanya fortress. The Mausoleum has a rectangular floor plan and consists of two sections, covered by a red-brick dome. The two graves in the second section indicate that the structure was built as a small summer mosque (Mescit).
Kizil Kule
The Kizil Kule, a Seljuk defensive
tower, still stands watch over the
harbor.
Meaning "Red Tower," Kizil Kule is open on Tuesday through Sunday from 8:00 AM to Noon, and from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM (admission charge). The Kizil Kule is a five-story, octagonal tower built by Alaaddin Keykubad I, in 1221 AD. It was restored in 1951. The tower's name comes from the fact that it was built with red stones and bricks. This was probably the first fortification built after Sultan Keykubad took Alanya. It was built to guard Alanya's harbor, having a defensive parapet at its top, and portals from which arrows or other missiles could be fired at an attacking force. The Kizil Kule also had its own cistern, in which rain water was collected and stored.
There are 85 steps to the top floor of the tower, which will reward you with lovely views of the harbor for which it was built to defend. On the various floors you may find ethnographic exhibits, depending on what's on display at the time. Once you make it to the top and start back down, give your eyes some time to adjust, since the steps are rather dark and not the standard steps you'll find in modern buildings.
The Tersane, the only surviving
Seljuk-era shipyard in Turkey.
Tersane and Tophane
If you follow an old defensive wall along the coast from the Kizil Kule, walking south away from the harbor, you'll find an the only remaining Seljuk dockyard in Turkey. The Tersane, built two years after the Kizil Kule, consists of five vaulted compartments, where ships could be brought inside and repaired. The Tersane also has two additional rooms, which were probably used as offices or for storage. Somewhat above the Tersane and farther out on the peninsula is the Tophane, which served as an arsenal.
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