The ancient fortress of Alanya

The ancient town in the middle of the modern city on the Mediterranean. Without this mountain with its fortified walls rising from the sea, Alanya would surely have lacked a particular charm.

The best viewing platforms with breathtaking views of the sea, the coast and city are undoubtedly in this place. To understand the geography of Alanya, you must come to this place. You have a perfectly clear picture of all city locations from the center to the most eastern district of Demirtas.

The 6 km long fortress is located on a 10 hectare site. It rises 250 m above sea level and is visible from almost anywhere in the city.

The history of the ancient castle goes back to the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and finally to the Ottoman period.

The first mention comes from the 4th century BC. BC

It was mainly used for defense purposes. 14 towers, cisterns for storing fresh water, bathhouses, the Church of St. George (approx. 4 century BC), defense fortresses, military buildings, etc. still remind us of the troubled times of the conquest era. Back then the fortress offered space for around 400 residents.

The Seljuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat I. made an important contribution to the further development and expansion of the castle fortress. In 1221 he conquered the region and made Alanya Castle his winter residence. The old walls were modernized and new ones were built. The Red Tower was built in 1226 for stronger city protection. Additional cisterns, a mosque and a Seljuk bath were created during his reign. A shipyard was built in 1228 and is now considered one of the best preserved in the Mediterranean.

Of great interest to visitors is a historical site called the “Balcony of Death”. This is a rocky outcrop on the mountain from which prisoners sentenced to death were pushed off. According to tradition, the prisoner was able to throw a stone from the rock into the sea. When the stone reached the sea, the prisoner was released. In fact, it was not possible. Wind currents in this place carried the stones to the side and often they only hit the rocks and never reached the water.

In the 19th century, Ottoman villas were built on the area of ​​the fortress, which are now under state protection.

The fortress has a museum, a working mosque, souvenir shops, kiosks and a restaurant with a wonderful panoramic view.

You can see this sight in Alanya for free. Entry to the main citadel Ic Kale costs 24-30 TL.

Working hours

8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. April – October
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. November - March.

How to get there

City bus No. 4 takes you directly to the fortress (journey time 15 minutes).

You start on foot from the eastern part of Cleopatra Beach (Damlatas Cave). Follow the signs up to the castle. The route is approx. 3 km. Long. You can also take the path to the castle from the Red Tower near the port.

Funicular. The stop is in Damlatas, on Cleopatra beach. The fare is 18 TL in both directions, 14 TL in one direction.