Alanya Castle is included in the Tentative List of World Heritage Sites, maintained by UNESCO. Alanya Castle has also been proclaimed to be a cultural heritage site requiring protection nationwide.
It is a medieval castle founded on a peninsula that rises up to 250 metres above the sea level. However, the textures trapped within the castle’s walls reflect the traces of the overlapping and overlaid nature of many cultures. Alanya Castle is a castle settlement in which life existed from the Hellenistic period onwards. It has gained its contemporary image and posture as a result of the building campaign of Alaeddin Kayqubad I, the Seljuk Sultan of the Rum, during the 13th century. This is the period when such unique monumental structures as Kizil Kule (the Red Tower) and Tersane (the Shipyard) were built. The walls which extend so as to surround the peninsula are approximately 6 km long. In addition to the multiple bastions and towers rising above its walls, the castle has six main entrance gates. It has two citadels. Named as Ic Kale and Ehmedek, these are visited by guests as museums in the present day. The cisterns, seraglio, barracks and chapel located in Ic Kale are especially worthy of seeing. Besides, the citadel located on the highest point of the castle offers a tremendous view of the Mediterranean and the sunset, which are a must-see for any visitor. Ehmedek, on the other hand, hosts large cisterns and a gate from the Hellenistic period. Suleymaniye Mosque, Culture and Silk House, Cistern of Mecveddin, Gemili Mosque and Bazaar Gate are among the other notable places to travel, which must be seen. Walking through the houses and streets shaped in the Ottoman architectural tradition inside the castle present a good opportunity for exploring the Castle of Alanya.
Another area arranged and transformed into a museum inside the walls is the harbour zone. The area falling between Kizil Kule and Tersane were arranged under a ship and navigation theme. The five-storied Kizil Kule offers a view of the surrounding landmark that must be seen, while possessing stairs and storeys all awaiting for explorers. Wandering around inside a Seljuk cistern by walking through orange and other similar trees from within the neighbourhood to get access to the best preserved 13th century Shipyard at the Mediterranean banks will probably be the most unforgettable experience in your memories.
