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GENERAL INFORMATION ON ANTALYA The Taurus mountain range of southern Anatolia runs parallel to the Mediterranean in an east-west direction, resulting in the formation of narrow coastal plains, which are surrounded by mountains on three sides and open to the south sea. On some parts of the coast, where the mountains plunge sharply into the sea, small natural bays and peninsulas are formed. Antalya is situated on a plain which consists of two flat areas formed of falez rock at a height of 35 m, where the mountains recede from the shore. On the first rocky plain on the coast is the town centre and on the plain behind it, named Kepezüstü, small settlement units have been established. The coast is 530 km in length and borders with Eþen in the west and Kaledran creek in the east. The province has an area of 20,820 km2. The soil of the plain is made up of conglomerate, alluvium and travertine falez rocks. The Taurus mountains, formed of limestone and serpentine lands, with karst surface formations, have many deep valleys, caves, crevices and faults. In the marshy areas at a height of 300 m from the coast scrub trees, known as maquis, are found. These include oleander, wild strawberries, sandalwood, strawberry trees, myrtle, chinaberry trees, bay, chaste trees, carob trees, broom and spurge. Thyme, sage, saffron, burdock, asphodel, asparagus, blackberry, chrysanthemum and, sparsely, oak, Oriental plane, wild pear, olive and linden trees are also found. 300 metres further on in, the red pine and oak forests, and marshes with eucalyptus trees can be seen. 1200 m further on the forests with cedar, fir trees, Scotch pine, juniper and beech begin. As the alluvial soil on the plains is suitable for agriculture, vegetables, fruit and flowers are grown in greenhouses for export. Open orange, mandarin, lemon and grapefruit gardens can be seen in the vicinity, in the warm Mediterranean winds. On the east of the Antalya plain,
The highest point of the Taurus mountains is Akdað at an altitude of 3025 metres. Located to the northwest of the city centre and at a distance of 50 km is the Saklýkent ski and recreation centre on Beydaðlarý. Here one can ski and then go down to the shore and into the sea during the months of January-April. Thanks to this characteristic the city is called the Turkish riviera. In Saklýkent there are two teleski and ski courses along with villas and accommodation facilities available in the area. Situated on Bakýrlý Hill behind Saklýkent is the Antalya National Space Observatory with a reflecting telescope 40 m in diameter and a telescope 150 cm in diameter. It is possible to watch meteor showers and shooting stars on certain days of the year. In rivers rafting and canoeing sports and on the Taurus mountains jeep safari, hunting and trekking tours are organised. Alternatively, there is rock-climbing, bird watching tourism, photo-safari, mountain tourism, line fishing and health tourism at the thalasso and dialysis centres in Geyirbayýr. Holy tourism activities are organized in Myra, St.Nicholas and Patara. There are underwater diving centres on the coast, primarily in Kemer, Çamyuva, Olympos, Adrasan, Kaþ, Kalkan, Üçaðýz, Kekova, Side and Alanya. In addition, yacht tours are organized from the port of Antalya to Düden Waterfalls-Karpuzkaldýran and Kemer, from Side to Alanya, from Demre-Çayaðzý to Kekova, from Kaþ to Kekova, from Kemer to Çýralý-Olympos-Adrasan and Cape Gelidonya. There are also boat tours on Manavgat creek and canoe tours on Xanthos creek. In addition, blue voyage, which covers the southwestern Anatolian coast, ends in Antalya. There are ferryboat trips from Alanya to Cyprus and from Antalya to Italy. Antalya today is a world tourism centre with its unique touristic accommodation facilities, nature and historical beauties. The city of Antalya is managed by a governor and a city council, with one greater city and three district municipalities. The Antalya port is one of the most prominent export and import ports of Turkey. The Free Trade Zone existing within the port conveniently serves the export of all types of products, primarily being textile, mine and agricultural products.
ALANYA – KOREKESION On the eastern boundary of Antalya and in the very midst of a narrow littoral formed by the Taurus Mountains with an arc away from the shore towards the North, the first settlement unit at an altitude of 250 m and 800 m in length, surrounded by natural beaches on both sides, situated on a peninsula steeply plunging into the sea, later expanded down to the beginning of the eastern littoral. Today, the area considered as one of the foremost centres of Turkish tourism is covered with banana and citrus fruit plantations. It is known that the city was formerly named “Korakassa/Karakassa” meaning “Point/Protruding City” in the Luwian/Etruscan language. It is observed that later this name was adapted to the Hellenic dialect and changed into Korakession. Alaaddin Keykubat, the Turkish Seljuk Sultan, who besieged the Fortress Korekession in 1221, demanded the city folk to surrender the city. |
However, the number of the Turkish soldiers was only one fifth of the city’s population. The Sultan announced to the city folk that if they did not surrender the city, he would attack the city with an army of 100,000 soldiers and ruin and destroy the city. He also granted some time to the Korekession King and rulers. The night before the last day, Turks gathered before the walls of the fortress in the darkness of night, with torches tied onto the horns of thousands of goats. The Korekession King and rulers of the city, thinking that the Turkish army would attack with substantial force, surrendered the city to the Turks. Thus, Alaaddin Keykubat, the Turkish Sultan, carried out the most interesting bluff in history. According to Hittite inscriptions, the existence of a city named Karkisa is mentioned in the area where today’s city is located and it is thought that the city folk originally came from the area Kawana within the borders of today’s southwestern province of Konya. It has been discovered that the historical trade route which descended from the Central Anatolian region to the Mediterranean by passing from Kawana and southwards along the valley of the creek and ended in Korekession has been in use for thousands of years. During the Persian and Hellenistic eras, one military garrison each was established, as the acropolis was suitable for this, thus it took the form of a military fortress. Because of the lack of control over the Mediterranean during the 2nd century B.C. it was captured by pirates under the command of Diodotos Tryphon, and during this epoch, various structures, primarily including a palace, were built by the pirates on the acropolis fortress and thus, urbanisation started. After the final defeat of the pirates of the Mediterranean by the Romans in 68 B.C. a Roman garrison subordinated to the province of Pamphylia was brought to the fortress. The actual development of the city took place during the Byzantine era and the fortress regained its character of a city; basilicas and chapels of various sizes were built; fortress walls were expanded with a somewhat large new palatial building constructed upon them. During this era name of the city was also changed to Kalonoros meaning “Beautiful Mountain”. The name of the city, which was seized by Turks in 1221, was changed to Alaiye in memory of the Sultan Alaaddin and it was adorned with various structures reflecting Turkish Seljuk architecture. The inner fortress at the highest point of the peninsula is 180 metres long and enclosed with walls. Extending from east to west, these walls were expanded during various epochs, totalling up to 6 km. There are 80 towers and 150 bastions upon the fortress walls. The palace, of which the remains can be seen immediately on the right after the entrance, is thought to have been built of rubble stones, with two storeys. Going northwards from here one notices the remarkable quadrangular Byzantine chapel, 6x6 m in dimension with a single dome set upon four walls and frescoes on the interior. From here one arrives at the quadrangular garrison building, adjacent to the inner wall of the fortress, and the ammunition depot/Arsenal immediately behind. Walking from this section in a westerly direction, one arrives at a sheer cliff over which slaves condemned to death were thrown into the sea. The peninsula descends steeply into the sea in a westerly direction, in the form of a ribbon, forming a small peninsula, 4000 m long. This was called “cilvarda”. On the small peninsula are a watch tower, a work of art dating from the Seljuk era, and a small Byzantine chapel. Other remains visible in the inner fortress are the water cisterns of various sizes used in collecting rain water. To the east of the fortress is the three-storeyed Red Tower, considered as the symbol of Alanya today, built by Turks in 1227 of red dressed stone blocks, measuring 33 m in height and 29 m in diameter, octagonal in structure, with various chambers, refectories and dormitories on the first two floors and a large water cistern on the third floor, in its open courtyard. It is understood that the Red Tower was built to protect the port. Further on from the tower is a quadrangular Shipyard building constructed right next to the sea. The façade of the shipyard building has 5 arches which enable the entry of ships and a width of 60 metres. A quadrangular protection tower has been built at the southern end of the Shipyard building which is understood to have been built during the same period as the 
