Antalya
Antalya, Turkey's principal holiday resort in the Mediterranean region (ancient Pamphylia), is an attractive city with shady palm-lined boulevards, a prize-winning marina on the Mediterranean. In the picturesque old quarter, Kaleici, narrow winding streets and old wooden houses abut the ancient city walls. Lately, many foreigners have bought (and continue to buy) property in and around Antalya for their holidays or for the retirement. It became a popular area especially for the German and Russian nationals.
Since its founding in the second century B.C. by Attalus II, a king of Pergamon, who named the city Attaleai after himself, Antalya has been continuously inhabited. The Romans, Byzantines and Seljuks in turn occupied the city before it came under Ottoman rule. The elegant fluted minaret of the Yivli Minareli Mosque in the center of the city built by the Seljuk sultan Alaeddin Keykubat in the 13th century has become the Antalya's symbol. The Karatay Medrese (theological college) in the Kaleici district, from the same period, exemplifies the best of Seljuk stone carvings. The two most important Ottoman mosques in the city are the 16th century Murat Pasa Mosque, remarkable for its tile decoration, the 18th century Tekeli Mehmet Pasa Mosque. Neighboring the marina, the attractive late 19th century Iskele Mosque is built of cut stone and set on four pillars over a natural spring. The Hidirlik Kulesi (tower) was probably originally constructed as a lighthouse in the second century. Today a church, the Kesik Minaret Mosque attests to the city's long history in its succession of Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman renovations. When Emperor Hadrian visited Antalya in 130 A.D. a beautifully decorated three arched gate was built into the city walls in his honor.
Near the marina the two towers flanking the gate and other sections of the walls still stand. The clock tower in Kalekapisi Square was also part of the old city's fortifications.
On March 29th, 2006, Total Solar Eclipse has been seen in Antalya at 13:54pm local time.
Nature
The region around Antalya offers sights of astonishing natural beauty as well as awesome historical remains. You can walk behind the cascade, a thrilling experience, at the Upper Düden Waterfalls, 14 km northeast of Antalya. On the way to Lara Beach, the Lower Düden Waterfalls plunge straight into the sea. The nearby rest area offers an excellent view of the falls; the view is even more spectacular from the sea. Kursunlu Waterfalls and Nilüfer Lake, both 18 km from Antalya are two more places of superb natural beauty.
The sandy Lara Beach lies about 12 km to the east. Closer to Antalya, but to the west, the long, pebbled Konyaalti Beach offers a view of the breathtaking Taurus mountain range. A little further the Bey Dagi (Olympos) National Park and Topcam Beach provide more splendid vistas. There are camping grounds at the north end of the park should you decide to linger amid the natural beauty. For a panoramic view of the area, drive to the holiday complex on top of the Tünektepe Hill.
Saklikent, 50 km from Antalya is an ideal winter sports resort on the northern slopes of Bakirli Mountain at an altitude of 1750-1900 meters. In March and April you can ski in the morning, eat a delicious lunch of fresh fish at Antalya's marina and sunbath, swim or wind surf in the afternoon. The wildlife (deer and mountain goat) in Düzlercami Park, north of Antalya are under a conservation program. On the way you can stop at the astonishing 115 meter deep Güver Canyon. In the eastern side of Can Mountain, 30 km from Antalya, the Karain Cave, which dates from the Paleolithic Age (50,000 B.C.) is the site of the oldest settlement in Turkey. Although the little museum at the entrance displays some of the finds, most of the artifacts are housed in various museums throughout Turkey. The ruins of the city of Termessos, set inside Güllük Dagi, a national park northwest of Antalya, is perched on a 1050 meter high plateau on the west face of Güllük Mountain (Solymos). A nature and wildlife museum is found at the park entrance.
The Archaeological Museum, with remains from the Paleolithic Age to Ottoman times, offers a glimpse of the area's rich history.
Other historical sites around Antalya are: Perge, Aspendos, Side, Termessos, Selge, Phaselis, Olympos, Chimeira, Kekova, Simena, Patara, Xantos, Letoon, Pinara, Tlos, Kas, Kalkan, Aperlai, Isinda, Myra and Sillyon.
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Legendary Anatolia, or Asia Minor is one of the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea which was eventually the birth-place of a bold and unsurpassed civilization for centuries. This peninsula of the Turkish Republic has the coastline on the Mediterranean Sea, almost half of which is the border of Antalya City. The wonders still stand there today, even in ruins, in its power to amaze – through the excellence of monuments, its spectacular tombs and, above all, the awesome spin of time through which its greatness has survived. It is God’s work that country was rich in art and accomplishment while Europe was in its Stone age, and also to its life it was so gratifying that man asked better nothing but eternity than to go living in a close replica of this fruitful earth he loved.
They in fact engineered intricate irrigation systems, developed mathematics, mined useful and precious ores, traded with lands over sea, perfected the techniques of administration and government. |
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Perhaps you have heard about the enchantments of this miracle land though some epochs told by the visitors of Antalya. You will see that it is really no exaggeration in telling and applauding this truth wherever you enter into the City. On both sides of the streets date trees soar up into the sky, and in the middle of the streets water flows in canals in a never-failing continuity and serenity. Those are the first vivid specialties that will welcome you.
It has a large and radiant Park embellished with motley-kind of flowers and trees. Its south is the sea, and the cliffs are often rocky and sleep, and they form a natural border in the height of 50 or 60 meters in the south of the City, and those cliffs stretch along the shore 10 or 12 kilometers long. Rivers and streams, the sources of which are actually in the Taurus Mountains, pour down in thunder over the cataracts on its way into the sea along this coast. Another wonder for the visitors who won’t really be able to see any other similar to this! The water comes down over the cliffs in such a way that million of water-dews in atoms look like a misty dust embracing the gloomy sea. |
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Lara, Karpuzkaldiran, Mermerli Beaches near the Park, and Adalar, Konyaalti Beaches in the east are some that can provide good-bathing for the vacationers. After Konyaalti Beach towards the west Arapsuyu Beach, is another one which was turned to be camping by the Antalya Tourism and information Society.
Whenever the vacationer visits Denizli (Hierapolis). Konya and Adana they are bound to call at Antalya. Because those cities are so near to Antalya. And also you will find priceless treasures of the historical masterpieces as well as the two sophistications mentioned above such an incomparable treasure that you will ask yourself in a moment and try to give an answer to how even one huge stone, in tons of the facade of the theatre of Perge had been hauled up 20 or 25 meters high by the use of levers, ropes and manpower only; and further why and for whom the theatre in Side had been constructed so large; and then today why no human beings live except birds in Termossos which once had a population of 150.000 and which Alexander the Great hadn’t been able to conquer.
Five Specialties that can never be provided in any place of the world:
1- Much Sunshine
2- The Sea
3- Hospitality
4- Historical Background
5- Reasonable price |
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Antalya Harbour |
Antalya |
Center of Antalya |
Canyon |
Temple |
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