When it comes to places to visit in Alanya, Alanya Castle is undoubtedly at the top of the all lists. The historical castle, which is a must for many guides introducing Turkey, is visited by thousands of tourists every year. So, are you ready to learn the history of Alanya Castle or what to do in Alanya Castle?
The History of Alanya Castle
Alanya Castle, one of the structures that has survived for hundreds of years, has hosted many great civilizations such as the Seljuks, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. For this reason, Alanya Castle is a cultural mosaic full of features peculiar to both eastern and western civilizations.
The thick stone Hellenistic walls on the inside of the castle was made by Diototos Tryphon in the 2nd century BC.
In 65 BC, the city was liberated by the Roman Pompeius from the domination of pirates and the walls surrounding the city were expanded in the same period.
Until the 13th century, the western dominance continued in Alanya, and the walls of the current castle continued to be built and expanded in accordance with Western architectural traditions.
In the 13th century, the city passed under the control of the Seljuk emperor Alaeddin Keykubat I. Attaching great importance to the rebuilding of the city, Keykubat not only reconstructed the existing walls, but also expanded them.
In addition, structures such as the shipyard (known as Tersane in Turkish) and Kızılkule were built by Alaeddin Keykubat and Alanya Castle has gained its splendour.
The castle, which was under the control of the Kingdom of Cyprus for a while after the collapse of the Seljuk State, was then controlled by the Ottomans and the modern Turkey, respectively.
In addition, the Süleymaniye Mosque and the bedesten (bazaar) are the sections added to Alanya Castle during the Ottoman period and are unique examples of Eastern architecture.
For what purpose was Alanya Castle Built?
The main purpose of the walls and structures built in the period from the 2nd BC century to 13nd AD century is to protect the settlement.
However, in the Roman and Seljuk Periods, sections that were built not only for protection but also for worship were added to the Alanya Castle. Also, during the Seljuk Period the castle was used and arranged as a military and administrative center.
Monumental structures were added to the castle in order to increase the durability of the walls. Kızılkule, one of these monumental structures, is also one of the famous historical centers of Alanya today.
How Big Is Alanya Castle?
Alanya Castle, which was built along the peninsula, on a total of 10 hectares of land which 250 meters above the sea level.
Its walls are 6.5 kilometers long with 83 towers and 140 bastions on.
The Castle and Alanya Kızılkule (The Red Tower)
Alanya Kızılkule is a monumental structure built with an aim to support and strengthen the walls of Alanya Castle.
It was built by the Seljuk emperor Alaeddin Keykubat I to protect the shipyard and Alanya harbour.
Kızılkule, which is one of the most magnificent and famous parts of Alanya Castle, has a height of 33 meters and a diameter of 29 meters.
Each wall of the tower, which stands out with its red-coloured stone walls, is 12.5 meters thick. Since it is difficult to get such thick stones to the upper parts of the tower, the ends of the tower were built of baked red bricks. The tower is called Kızılkule (The Red Tower) because of the red colour of both these stones and their reflections in the water. Especially at sunset, the tower takes on a completely red appearance.
Alanya Teleferik (The Cable Car of Alanya Castle)
The famous Alanya Teleferik has a height of 300 meters and length of 900 meters.
In addition to providing access to Alanya Castle, the most preferred reason of its fame is its view.
It is possible to see the famous Alanya bays such as Cleopatra Beach and to watch the peninsula to the fullest. Alanya Teleferik takes those who want to visit Alanya Castle to the Ehmedek region which is one of the parts of the castle.
If you also want to visit the Alanya Castle, we highly recommend that you add Alanya teleferik tour to your things to do in Alanya list as well.