Here stands the Kule in Alanya a symbol of the city. It even graces the city’s flag. Alanya’s greatest political era occurred in the Middle Ages. It was under the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum. Alaeddin Kayqubad I ruled. The city gets its name from him.
His building campaign included this Kule. It also included the Tersane or Shipyard. It included Alanya Castle itself. Most of the castle construction happened in the 13th century. This occurred after the city’s conquest in 1220.
The Kule that you see before you is also known as the Red Tower. It is one of Antalya’s iconic landmarks. Alanya farmers boosted tropical fruit production in the past five years. They now grow exotic fruits like papayas and mangos. Passifloras, pecan nuts, guavas, lychees, and pineapples also grow here.
Alanya sits on a small peninsula. The Toros Mountains lie to the north. The Mediterranean Sea is to the south. In ancient times the city was part of Pamphylia and Cilicia.
Alanya’s history is rich. Finds in Karain Cave show occupation dating back 20000 BC. Archeological evidence indicates a port existed at Syedra around 3000 BC. A Phoenician language tablet dates to 625 BC. The city appears in a 4th-century BC Greek manuscript. Alexander the Great conquered the area. His successors left it to Ptolemy I Soter. Mediterranean pirates often took refuge in the port.
The Roman Republic fought Cilician pirates. Pompey incorporated the city into Pamphylia in 67 BC. With Christianity’s rise Coracesium became a bishopric. Islam arrived in the 7th century. Arab raids led to new fortifications.
The Seljuk Turks gained control after 1071. John II Komnenos regained it in 1120. The Christian Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia held the port at times. The Turks finally took control in 1221. Sultan Alaeddin Kayqubad I captured it. Seljuk rule marked the city’s golden age. Building projects made it a key seaport. It facilitated trade with Egypt and Italian city-states.
Mongol hordes broke Seljuk power in 1243. Alanya faced invasions from Anatolian beyliks. The Karamanids sold the city to the Mamluks of Egypt in 1427. Gedik Ahmed Pasha incorporated it into the Ottoman Empire in 1471.
Trade suffered due to new oceanic routes. Alanya became part of Cyprus in 1571. Evliya Çelebi visited in 1671 or 1672. He wrote about Alanya Castle’s preservation.
After World War I Alanya was assigned to Italy. It returned to Turkey in 1923. Many Christians resettled in Nea Ionia near Athens. Tourism began in the 1960s. People came for Damlataş Cave’s healing properties. Antalya Airport’s opening in 1998 boosted international tourism.
The Kule stands 108 feet tall. That is 33 meters. It houses the municipal ethnographic museum. Sultan Kayqubad I brought architect Ebu Ali from Aleppo Syria. He designed the building. This octagonal structure protected the Tersane. It remains a prime example of medieval military architecture.
The Tersane is a medieval drydock. The Seljuk Turks built it in 1221. It measures 187 by 131 feet. That is 57 by 40 meters. It divides into five vaulted bays. These bays feature equilateral pointed arches.
Alanya is twinned with many cities. These include Nea Ionia Greece and Murmansk Russia. Others are Gladbeck Germany and Trakai Lithuania. The city also has ties with Borås Sweden.
The Alanya Jazz Days take place at the Kule. This occurs in September or October. The municipal ethnographic museum is also here. The Jazz Festival features Turkish and international musicians. These musicians perform in a series of free concerts.
Remember the Kule as a symbol of Alanya. It represents the city’s rich history. It highlights its vibrant culture.