Facts and information about Antalya
Facts and information about Antalya
Antalya is located in the west of the Mediterranean region. In ancient times it covered all Pamphylia which means “the land of all tribes”. The land really deserves the name since it has witnessed many successive civilizations throughout history. In 1st century BC the Pergamum king Attalus ordered his men to find the most beautiful piece of land on earth; he wanted them to find “heaven on earth”. After a long search all over the world, they discovered this land and said “This must be ‘Heaven’ ” and King Attalus founded the city giving it the name “Attaleia”. From then on many nations kept their eyes on the city. When the Romans took over the Pergamene Kingdom, Attaleia became an outstanding Roman city which the great Roman Emperor Hadrian visited in 130 AD; an arch was built in his honor which is now worth seeing. Then came the Byzantines, after which the Seljuk Turks took over the city in 1207 and gave it a different name, Adalya, and built the Yivli Minaret. The Ottomans followed the Seljuks and finally within the Turkish Republic it became a Turkish city and an important port. Antalya has been growing rapidly since 1960 and its population is 1,146,109 according to the 1990 census.
Quad Safari in the Taurus Mountains
Those who want to add a little extra fun to your holiday with extraordinary activities, get together around Quad Safari tours. All you do is wear your most comfortable clothes and show up.
Everything will be covered in mud in a flash anyway, during the ride. Running through water and mud is part of the fun.
Tour operators offer pick-up from hotels in all regions of Alanya to take you to explore the magnificent nature in the Taurus Mountains on 4 wheels.
Cable Car to the Castle
Alanya Castle was built in 1221 by the Seljuk Sultan, Alaaddin Keykubat, who captured the city and had it rebuilt.
You can take the cable car to go up to the castle. The cable car station is near Atatürk Park. You will need to walk uphill another 1 km to reach the entrance of the castle after exiting the cable car.
İçkale (Inner castle) is the top sight up there. It’s an open air museum at the summit of the peninsula. Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman artifacts can be found in the inner castle.
When you go to Alanya Castle by cable car, you will come across the Süleymaniye Mosque, a Seljuk work renovated during the Ottoman period. There is also a covered bazaar (bedesten) behind the mosque.
Upside Down House
Up is down, everything is upside down, the whole house is turned on its head. Due to the 6 percent inclination with which the building is constructed, it looks as if it fell from the sky and then came to lie on the roof.
Inside, you practically walk on the ceiling of the room instead of the floor. All the furnishings, sofas, kitchen furniture, plants, and paintings are upside down and hanging above you, so it’s easy to think you are walking on the ceiling.
Ters Villa or Upside Down House is located in the center of Manavgat near Nova Mall. The staff is very helpful and happy to give tips on the best photo spots. An exceptional experience…
Hadrian’s Gate
The gateway to Antalya’s Old Town
Easily one of the most iconic spots in the whole city, the unmistakable Hadrian’s Gate is the main entrance into Kaleiçi, Antalya’s picturesque Old Town. Offering the perfect Instagram photo opportunity, this historical landmark was built in AD 130 to commemorate the visit of Emperor Hadrian to the city.
