Antalia(Antalya) İngilizce

Antalia
Kalkan - Patara
PATARA
At about 10 kms beyond Kalkan on the Kalkan-Fethiye highway you turn south and continue 10 kms along the road to Patara The painted ceramics found in the acropolis prove that the city existed in the 5th century BC Patara opened its doors to Alexander the Great, thereby earning the status of an important harbour city, in addition to having been the birthplace of St Nicholas The triple gateway through which one enters Patara is thought to have been built in 100 AD One of its most important edifices is its theatre which is now buried in sand
XANTHOS
This is the oldest and the largest city of the mountain province of Lycia, settled in the valley of the Xanthos river Until the Persian invasion it was an independent state When the people of Xanthos,who had bravely tried to defend their city, realized that they could not repulse the invasion, they first killed their women committed mass suicide by throwing themselves into the flames About 80 surviving families and people who immigrated there rebuilt the city, but a fire which broke out about 100 years later razed it to the ground In spite of this, the city was again rebuilt and, as a result of establishing good relations with the west, was considered as an important centre However, Xanthos again met with an unfortunate end As a result of resisting the taxes the Athenians wanted to impose on them in 429 BC, the city was largely destroyed and the inhabitants were drawn into a war And thus Xanthos became "a city of disasters" The city itself consists of the Lycian acropolis and the parts remaining outside it, as well as the Roman acropolis The most interesting building is the Roman theatre and the edifices of the theatre's western shoreline Of these the most famous is the Harpy Monument, which is a family sarcophagus situated on a rock The original of this relief-decorated sarcophagus is in the British Museum, and a very good copy of this is in its place Close by can be seen very interesting Lycian sarcophagi from the 6th and 1st centuries BC
LETOON
To reach Letoon, you turn west one kilometer beyond the road from KINIK to Fethiye and continue 5 km The history of Letoon is closely linked with that of Xanthos It is known to have been one of the most important religious centers of the Lycian region Due to the rising water level, archeological digs have been suspended The remains unearthed indicate they belong to the period between the 7th century BC and the 6th century AD The most important edifice is the Greek style theater which has been preserved until our day
Kas
ANTIPHELLOS
Today's Kas is a coastal city of the Lycians "Phellos" is the Greek word for "stony place" and this name is very well suited to Kas Its well preserved rock tombs and theater are well worth seeing Kas today is a small and charming coastal resort
SIMENA
This is reached by sea from Ucagiz The beauty of Simena lies in its blending of history, sea and sun Here, one is fascinated by the remains of ancient civilizations lying under the blue and translucent waters of the Mediterranean Kale's history dates back to the Lycian era Roman and later eras are piled on top of each other The theatre carved out of the rocks is one of the smallest of Lycia The walls were built in Roman times but it is thought that additions were made in later eras
Kale-Demre
MYRA
Situated between Finike and Kas, Myra is 25 kms from Finike and 48 kms from Kas It was one of the most important cities among the other six Lycian cities It was settled in the 5th century BC Although it was originally a coastal town, it has retreated from the sea because of the alluvium from the Demre stream It was abandoned in the 9th century AD after the Arab invasion The rock tombs, the theatre and St Nicholas Church have survived to make it a place worth visiting
St Nicholas, born in 245 AD in Patara near Fethiye (known variously as StNicholas, Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Heilige Nikolaus and Pere Noel) died in 326 AD, having spent his life in Anatolia
Son of a wealthy family and of good education, he devoted himself to mankind Because of the assistance he rendered to those around him, St Nicholas was known as the protector of children and sailors, and to this day the legend of Father Christmas has continued to live as vividly as ever
As the Bishop of Demre, by his religious and social work, he solved the problems of the people in a humane way After he died he was buried in Demre and a church was built there for his memory In 108 Italian pirates stole some of his bones and took them to Bari In their haste they left a few behind and these are today on display in the Antalya Museum
In a number of countries the death of St Nicholas is commemorated by special ceremonies and by giving presents to children, and in fact it takes on the significance of a new year
It was in the years 1951-55 that it was realized St Nicholas was Santa Claus (or Father Christmas) and this drew a lot of attention to Turkey, with articles in the papers and items on the radio, and in 1955 a Father Christmas stamp was issued After that date celebrations for Father Christmas started to be held regularly
The first Father Christmas symposium ever held in Antalya was between 5-7 December 1983 This is now held annually and is attended by religious and scientific people from all over the world In these symposiums, in keeping with Anatolia's St Nicholas' love for humanity, a call is made to people of different religions and beliefs for peace, friendship and brotherhood
Finike
ARYKANDA (ARIF)
Arykanda is located 26 km from Turuncova on the Finike-Elmali highway After leaving the highway it is necessary to walk about 1 km It is not known exactly when Arykanda, which dominated the Akarcay valley and its surroundings, was established Based on finds from explorations, it is thought to have existed in the 5th century BC Although largely destroyed by an earthquake in 240 AD, it continued to survive until the 11th century AD Known as Akalanda in Byzantine times, it was built on terraces; many of the buildings are in a good state of preservation
LIMYRA (TURUNCOVA, ZENGERLER)
Limyra is 11 km beyond Kumluca on the Finike-Kumluca highway It is known to have existed in the 5th century BC While suffering extensive damage from an earthquake in 141 AD Limyra rose again, but unable to withstand the Arab invasions in the 7th and 9th centruies AD the inhabitants abandoned the city It consists of theree main parts, the acropolis, the settlement and the necropolis The interesting rock tombs seen on the right of the road from Turuncova to Elmali do not belong to Limyra
Kumluca
KORYDALLA
The city, located in the area of today's Kumluca is 90 kms west of Antalya Although Korydalla belongs to the Lycian era, it is known to have developed during the Byzantine times The treasures found in the region are all over the world, but no important remains can be seen there today
Kemer
PHASELIS
One km after turning south 57 km along the Antalya-Kemer highway (in itself a beautiful ride) one reaches Phaselis This was settled by the Rhodians in the 7th century BC and for many years was claimed to be the most important port city of the eastern Lycian seaboard Phaselis has three harbours: the North harbour, the Military or Protected (enclosed) harbour and the South harbour, of which the most important is the latter A 20-24 m wide avenue runs throughout the city The western end is the site of Hadrian's Gate On either side of the avenue are sidewalks and shops Close to these can be seen the public places like the baths, the theatre and the agora
OLYMPOS AND CIRALI
Phaselis is in the west part of Antalya and is between Kemer and Adrasan After passing Phaselis on the Antalya-Kumluca highway, signposts leading to Olympos and Cirali will be seen and Olympos can be reached by following either route Cirali is the name of the village near Olympos, which was a port city established in the 2nd century and which continued to flourish until the 15th century AD The famous myth of Bellerophontes is said to have taken place here The antique city is on two sides of a beautiful valley A sandy beach is found where the town and the valley meet the sea, into which a mountain stream flows An hour's walk from Olympos brings you to the natural phenomenon of Cirali Known by the local inhabitants as the " burning mountain " (Yanartas), it is a result of escaping natural gas, whose flames have been shooting heavenwards for centuries It is suggested that those who wish to visit the Yanartas for the first time should be accompanied by someone from the village
Antalya (Merkez)
TERMESSOS
Termessos is perhaps the most interesting ancient city in Antalya region It is a Psidian city built at a height of 1050 meters in the Taurus Mountains Termessos constitutes an unusual synthesis of a large number of rare plants and animal species, which are under protection in the Termessos National Park When turning off the Antalya-Burdur highway (11 km) in the direction of Korkuteli, the Termessos signpost will be seen 14 km further on, and Termessos itself is a further 9 km A visit to this site requires time and the stamina to walk uphill, because Termessos is built entirely on a mountainous area difficult to access
The inhabitants of Termessos were known as the Solyms but unlike those of other cities of the time they did not come from the sea and were entirely of Anatolian origin What is known of their history commences principally at the time that Alexander the Great surrounded the city in 333 BC, which he likened to an eagle's nest and failed to conquer Termessos, after a gradual decline, was finally abandoned in the 5th century AD Some of the remains found there are the walls, the Hadrian's triumphal arch, the cisterns, the theater, the gymnasium, the agora, the odeon and the heroon Among the tombs which are scattered far and wide can be seen those of Alcates, Agatemeros and the Lion decorated sarcophagi, which are extraordinary
ARIASSOS
At a distance of 48 Km along the Antalya Burdur highway and before arriving at the village Dag, turn left and Ariassos is reached 1 Km further on A city of antiquity, Ariassos was built in a valley and could survey its surroundings The gate, the baths, the rock tombs and the mausoleum are worth seeing
KARATAY MEDRESE
The entrance door and the niche are fine examples of the Seljuk art of carving It was built in 1250 by Emir Celaleddin Karatay and advantage was taken of the Roman walls when building it
MURAT PASHA MOSQUE
This is on Sarampol Avenue It was built in 1570 by Kuyucu Murat Pasha and repaired in 1960
TEKELI MEHMET PASHA MOSQUE
This is in the vicinity of the Kalekapisi (Clock Tower) It is not known exactly when it was built but it is believed to be between 1593-1607 by Tekeli Mehmet Pahsa
Aksu
PERGE
Perge is 18 km east of Antalya between the Duden and Aksu streams This is reached along the Antalya-Alanya highway, turning north at Aksu, going 2 km further on As it was not located on the coast, it was not subjected to raids by pirates and therefore continued its progress without interruption It was settled in 1200 BC In 223 BC Perge, like Side, reached an agreement with Alexander and thus did not go to war or suffer the usual ravages It lived through the Hellenistic, the Roman and the Byzantine epochs Its 15,000 spectator theater was built in the 2nd century AD, and the nearby stadium could hold 12,000 people With the exception of the Aphrodisias stadium, it is the best preserved in Anatolia There are 30 rooms, believed to have been used as shops, underneath the stadium seats A great many statues and other valuable items have been unearthed in recent digs, many of which are in the Antalya Museum Some of the things worth seeing in Perge are the Hellenistic gate, the agora, the nymphaeum, the colonnaded streets, the sarcophagi, the basilica and the acropolis
Serik – Belek
ASPENDOS
After passing Serik on the Antalya-Alanya highway, you turn north and continue for 4 km It dates back to the 5th century BC The theater which was built in the 2nd century AD was periodically repaired by the Seljuks who used it as a caravansaray It is one of the best preserved theaters to be found today Allowing 050 m per seat, the theater holds 7000 spectators, with an additional 500 in the orchestra Today it is used for concerts, festivals and grease wrestling events In addition to the theater the agora, basilica, nymphaeum and 15 km of aqueducts are to be seen
SILLYON
About 35 km along the Antalya-Alanya highway, you turn north and continue 8 km until Silyon is reached It was built on an ellipse-shaped table-like plateau rising above the flat plain Due to its location the surrounding areas can easily be seen, and in fact the view stretches as far as the Mediterranean It was settled in the 4th century BC and it lived not only through the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods, but was also used by the Seljuks who also added buildings and increased its wealth Some of its interesting sights are the stadium, gymnasium, turrets, Seljuk mosque, the theater whose proscenium is buried under rocks, and the sports arena
Manavgat – Side
SIDE
Side is reached by turning south 3 km before Manavgat on the Antalya-Alanya highway The exact date of its founding is not known In the language of Anatolia "Side" means Pomegranate From inscriptions it appears that Side dates back to the Hittite Period The city was constructed on a peninsula and was a Hellenistic and Roman town, protected by city and sea walls One's attention is particularly drawn to the city gates and walls, as well as many remains of aqueducts which brought water from the foothills of the Taurus Mountains and the surrounding country The old baths have been restored and turned into a museum, in which are exhibited some of the statues and art treasures found in Side
One of its most important buildings is its 15,000 spectator theater The difference between this Roman theater and other antique theaters in the region is that it is not built against a hillside The 2 storey theater, built on a series of arches, is 20 m high The orchestra and the stage are in a state of ruin Rainwater canals run under the theater Side has colonnaded streets, a triumphal arch, a harbor, baths, fountains, cisterns, aquaducts, temples and an agora
SELGE
Selge is in the north of Manavgat, on the Antalya-Alanya highway, where the Selge signpost will be seen, after which it is a further 55 km The road is good until Koprulu Canyon, but for the last 12 km after the ancient bridge, a jeep-type vehicle is recommended It is particularly beautiful in the area of the Koprulu Canyon Built at 950 m above sea level, Selge was a Psidia mountain settlement The best preserved building is the theater, and the city walls, the tower, the cisterns, the stadium and the necropolis are worth seeing
Alanya
KIZIL KULE (RED TOWER)
After capturing Alanya in 1221, Sultan Aladdin Keykubat gives an order to build a monument which will ensure that Alanya, the symbol of the Turkish rule over the seas, will always stay under the sovereignty of the Turks Kizil Kule, which still stands strong in its grandeur as it was the day it was built, is named after the reddish stones used in the lower section also after the bricks in the upper section The cut stones used in the lower section of the tower are believed to be brought from the east of the Dim Strait Due to the site that Kizil Kule is built on, there is 2 meters difference in elevation between the west side and the east side of the tower Therefore the height in the east side is 35 meters and the height in the west side is 33 meters Portraying a smooth octagonal shape the tower is of five storeys At Kizil Kule, the section which rises up to the fourth floor right in the middle forms the backbone of the tower, is also used as an extension of the museum to exhibit ethnographic artifacts used around Alanya It is known that water requirement throughout the year was met by collecting the rain water into the cistern during the winter months with the use of small conduits around the tower
THE SELJUK SHIPYARD
This shipyard was built two years after the Kizil Kule (Red Tower) in 1228 by Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat With this effort the Sultan realized his wish of becoming "Sultan -ul- bahreyn" (the Sultan of the two seas) by preventing possible attacks that may come from the east The shipyard is 565 meters long, 44 meters wide and consists of five chambers Each chamber is 770 meters wide and 4230 meters deep
ALARA FORTRESS
This is an unusual tower built on a mountain rising straight up from the bed of the Alara stream which is 200 m north of the Alara Han It is not known when it was built, but it was repaired by the Seljuks when they captured it in 1231 and it was used for a long time during the Ottoman era
ALARA INN
Thirty kilometres before reaching Alanya on the Antalya-Alanya highway,one has to make a turn to Alara Han and continue 10 kms It was built in 1231 on the orders of Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat I It is a very solid construction, entered through a gate with inscriptions and lion heads It has somewhat the appearance of a fortress as if warding it from aggressors
LEATRES-LEATRI
This historical city is situated 22 kms from the center of the province, on a hill of 900 m high Cebelireis Mountain, and is surrounded with sharp drops in the east, west and south directions Today it is known that in relation to this historical town, coins were minted in the names of Trojan and Empress Herennia Etruscill Found here churches, baths, cisterns, various dwellings, a small stadium, a theater, colonnaded streets and worshipping places almost all are in a bad condition The remnant next to the stadium is the center of a church standing with its side naves and abscissa and having traces of red and light blue coloured frescoes in the interior The innumereous inscriptions and the reliefs depicting the claws of an eagle and ox heads often seen in these ruins inherently takes one back deep into history According to the inscriptions that are available, this area lived its best period between the first and third centuries The temples that the city had between these centuries are Zeus-Megistos, Apollon and Caesar
SYEDRA ARCHEOLOGICAL RUINS
The city of Syedra is situated on a hill which is the demarcation line between the present day villages of Kargycak and Seki It is at a distance of 20 kms to the center of Alanya The center of the city or the big city is situated on a large hill Now if you like, let's walk on the colonnaded street on which once the Kings and Queens used to stroll This road is situated to the north of the temple and extends from east to west We shall finally conclude our visit after walking along the colonnaded street and observing various ruined buildings on both sides of the road and the wall tabloids made with different colored mosaics that have lost very little from their originality after so many centuries From the inscriptions and the coins minted in the names of Marcus Aureoles and Antonius between the years 138 and 161 found in the area, this big city is known to be the remnants of the Roman period
IOTAPE HISTORICAL PORT CITY
Iotape, which is known as Aytap by the local people, is 30 kms to the east of Alanya This city was named after King Antiachus' wife Iotape During the progressing years, especially in the Roman Emperor Trainus (98-117) period, he had coins minted for his name Although, this city has the appearance of the Roman period, we do not have any evidence of the clans that might have lived before, therefore Iotape can be rightly said to be a Roman period city The city has a natural port measuring 50x100 meters
SARAPSA INN
This site, 15 km before Alanya and was built during the time of the Seljuk Sultan Giyaseddin Keyhusrev II (1236-1245) It was constructed on a large area and the stone ceiling is still in a good state of repair It is closed to the south It, too, has the appearance of a fortress; its ornamental gate is on the north side A small mosque is next to it
Gazipasa
ANTIOCHEIA AD CRAGUM
It is located at the east of Gazipasha, in a village called " South Village ( Guney Koy ) " which is 18 km away from the town The area has taken its name from the King of Kommagene, 4th Antiochus The ruins of the city gathered on three hills On the first hill, from west to east, located a castle from the Middle Ages, on the second hill there is a colonnaded street, an agora, a bath, a victory arch and a church, lastly, there is a Necropolis on the third hill The buildings of the old city dated to the Roman and Byzantium periods At the Necropolis of the city, the monumental graves with cradle vaults and precourtyards are preserved well The temple in the area must have been built for the God " Zeus Lamotes "
ADANDA – LAMOS
This ancient city is located at the 15th km to northeast of Gazipasa It was built at the peak of a mountain, 2 km to the east of Adanda The city is surrounded with city walls There is a big tower at the east gate of the city We can mention two other temples and a fountain carved into the rocks at the other ruins of the city Also at the Necropolis there are very important one-piece-carved-stone sarcophagi Possibly the city was the capital of the area called " Lamotis " The ruins reflect the culture and the art of Clycia The peak period of the city must have been during the reign of Gallianus
NEPHELIS
It is located 12 km away from Gazipasha, in a village called " Bananacity Village ( Muzkent Koy ) " South of the city surrounded with sea and rocky hills The old city is on the Acropolis and the ruins lie east to west The buildings of the ruins are a castle from the Middle Ages, an odeon, a temple, the waterways and a necropolis which were dated to Roman and Byzantium periods The inscriptions from the city are displayed at Alanya Museum It consists of eulogies for the Byzantium Emperor Xenon Also we can see the name of the Mayor of Clycia Cornelius Dexter, in another inscription This inscription has been written from the people of the city and the Council of State The small Odeon in the city represents the cultural activities of those times
SELINUS
The old city is located close to Gazipasa The Acropol was built on a hill In this city there is a Middle Age castle The walls and the towers of the castle are well preserved There are also a church and a cistern on the Acropolis The ruins of the city consist of baths, an agora, a kiosk, water canals, arches and a necropolis Selinus is one of the most important cities of the mountainous area of Clickya The city is named after the Roman Emperor Traian, who died in this city
About Museum
The founding and development of the Antalya Museum is unusual On 25 March 1919 the Italians occupied Antalya One or two archeologists who came to Antalya with the occupying forces started to collect the antique items found in the course of their exploration of the region and transporting them to the Italian Consulate At that time educator Suleyman Fikri Bey opposed to the Italians who claimed they were doing this in the name of civilization The small abandoned mosque next to the Tekeli Mehmet Pasa Mosque was rearranged and the foundation of the Antalya Museum was thus laid When the Italians evacuated Antalya the works of art they had collected were transported to this little museum After 1937 the Fluted Minaret Mosque was used as a museum However, more and more ancient remains were being unearthed and exhibited Today's Antalya Museum on Konyaalti (now called OrgKenan Evren Bulvari) on the ouskirts of the city, and which reflects contemporary museum concepts, is one of Turkey's largest museums, with 14 exhibition halls and an open air gallery It covers an area of 7000 m² and has 5000 works of art are exhibited In addition a further 25 - 30000 artifacts which cannot be displayed are in storage
Koprulu Canyon National Park
The Koprulu Canyon National Park is within the boundaries of Manavgat It is a 14 Km long and 100 m wide valley between Balasan village and Beskonak It is thickly covered in cedar trees and its resemblance to the "fairy chimneys" of Cappadocia, albeit in the from of nature, is striking The ancient stone bridge straddling the Kopru stream is still in use today
Termessos National Park
The Termessos National Park is 30 Km along the Antalya Korkuteli highway This was the site of the ancient city of Termessos Animal species in danger of being decimated can readily find a breeding ground here The park, which is covered by wild flora, is of unusual beauty
Olympos National Park
To the west of Antalya rise the snowcapped peaks of the Olympos range, where many antique cities, caves bearing the mark of early man, innumerable plantsand animals are under protection in the Olympos National Park
Karatas-Semahoyuk Cave
This is in Alanya, and is full of stalactites and stalagmites Due to the humidity being 90% in the interior, the caves are used for the treatment of respiratory ailments
Beldibi Cave
Here were found some pre-historic remains in the cave on the seashore, 25 km south-west of Antalya
Karain Cave
This is 27 km from Antalya and is reached from the Burdur highway, turning left at the Karain sign Digs have been continuing there since 1946 These have revealed a settlement at that spot 50000 years ago It is the largest cave in Turkey to have been inhabited Some of the finds are on display in the little Karain Museum and others in the Pre-History Section of Antalya Museum
Altinbesik Dudeni
This is one of the most unusual subterranean lakes in the world It is within the boundaries of Urunlu village To reach Altinbesik Dudeni the described route has to be followed: After Manavgat, turn north towards Akseki Seventy km later the ibradi turn-off is reached, and 23 km further brings you to ibrady, from which it is a further 8 km to Urunlu village After that is a 5 km walk by a very poor road, for which good walking shoes are needed
This fascinating underground world is beneath the Tauros mountains and to see it one has to make the necessary preparations Many caves and lakes are to be found underground The lakes are at different levels, resulting in eascades Huge stalagtites and stalagmites can be seen in the caves It has taken millions of years to create the present formation of the lakes and the caves The theory of their formation is as follows: due to the limestone nature of this mountainous area, the water trickled into the *****s and following chemical reactions in some places, melting occurred and small cavities resulted In time, due to the deleterious effects of the water, the cavities grew bigger and became caves This process has continued to our day Those interested in this subject and are hardy climbers will be rewarded with a sight of unparalleled beauty
Damlatas Cave
This is in Alanya, and are full of stalactites and stalagmites Due to the humidity being 90% in the interior, the caves are used for the treatment of respiratory ailments

Waterfall
All the streams of the region aim at finding their way into the Mediterranean and they pour down the slopes of the Tauros, sometimes overland sometimes underground and, reaching their destination, result in lovely waterfalls, of which there are more than twentyThe loveliest of these are the Duden Falls, 15 km north of Antalya, the Kursunlu Falls 18 km along the Antalya-Alanya highway and those of Manavgat 3 km north of the town
The Coy Brides of the Taurus Mountains
The rich Turkish flora includes more than 9000 varieties of plants About 3,000 are endemic to Turkey and grow in nature nowhere else in the world More than 500 plants grow bulbs In international trade, Turkey is well known for its kardelen (Galanthus nivalis), karcicegi (Helleborus vernalis), siklamen (Cylamen cilicium), lale (tulip), cigdem (Colchicum) and other flowers from bulbs Plants in Turkey possess various rich genetic kinds like therapeutic plants and decorative plants, and those which are ancestral to cereal grains and fodder These have vital importance for human beingsThe future of our plants is very important from both economic and environmental view point They are in danger because of over picking for commercial purposes and the destruction of naturalareas
In Turkey, various bulbous plants have been destroyed by people who have picked them in the wild for commercial purposes and sent abroad
The trade of our bulbous plants picked wild and exported as decorative plants started first in the Aegean region, then moved to the Taurus Mountains which has rich bulbous plant populations There was a great increase in this flower bulb trade, which started a few hundred years ago and continued until 1960 Towards the end of the 1980s an average of 60000000 flower bulbs were exported The main importer of our plants is Holland, through which they are marketed throughout the world Unfortunately, we have witnessed the unconscious plunder of this rare genetic richness of Anatolia In recent years, with the contributions of Dogal Hayati Koruma Dernegi (DHKD) (The Society for the Protection of Nature), Fauna ve Flora Koruma Dernegi (FFI-UK) (The Society for the Protection of Fauna and Flora) and Dogayi Koruma Vakfi (World Wide Fund for Nature) there have been hopeful developments in "The Project for the Growth of Bulbous Plants Locally in Turkey" Within this project successful results have been achieved with the volunteer growers for the growth of flower bulbs in Dumlugoze Village (Karaman) in the Taurus Mountains In this way, the decrease in the population of flower bulbs, like kardelen which was over-picked, is stopped and the villagers are able to get continuous income by growing bulbs locally With this additional income, they can contribute to the development of their village
We hope that with the increase of similar projects, it will be possible to ***** this unique genetic beauty of Anatolia with the whole world before the natural structure of it is spoiled and these growing places will be visited only for "conscious eco tourism"