Alanya Castle, visited by thousands of domestic and foreign tourists every year, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Temporary List in 2000, and efforts are being made to include it in the UNESCO World Heritage Permanent List.
The castle in Alanya covers an area of 6 hectares and is surrounded by 6 kilometers of walls. It is built on a peninsula about 250 meters above sea level, making it naturally well-protected.
The history of Alanya Castle dates back to the Hellenistic period, hosting significant civilizations like the Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks, and the Ottoman Empire. With each new empire, Alanya Castle gained new identities and additions, eventually reaching us as an important historical monument.
Although the exact founding date of Alanya and its castle is unknown, it is believed to have been built by the Roman pirate Tryphos and his men in the 2nd century BC. The city, known as Coracesium in ancient times, provided a safe haven for pirates. Later, in 65 BC, the Roman general Pompey conquered Coracesium, bringing it under Roman rule. The city expanded and new walls were built during the Roman period. Alanya and its castle became a prominent stop for sailors, witnessing thriving commercial activities.
Following the division of the Roman Empire into the Eastern and Western Roman Empires, Alanya Castle remained under Byzantine, or Eastern Roman, rule. However, specific information about the castle's history during the Byzantine period is scarce. Research indicates that the circular walls extending from the Middle Castle to the inner castle area in Alanya today date back to the Byzantine era.
In 1221, during the Seljuk Sultanate, Sultan Alaattin Keykubat set his sights on conquering Alanya Castle for use as a winter residence. He initiated preparations in Konya, the capital, by repairing its walls and giving instructions to the fleet in the Mediterranean. At that time, the castle was in the hands of Kyr Vart, a Christian.
Alaattin Keykubat laid siege to the heavily fortified castle by land and sea after extensive preparations. The siege, which lasted for two months, began in the winter months. After intense struggles, an agreement was reached: Kyr Vart allowed his daughter to marry Alaaddin Keykubat and was allowed to leave the castle unharmed. Thus, Alanya Castle and the city came under Seljuk rule. Alaaddin Keykubat, after conquering the castle, renamed it as Alaiye.
Sultan Keykubat held a deep affection for Alanya. He spent his winters in the beautiful city and used Alanya as the winter residence of the Seljuk sultans. Additionally, Alaaddin Keykubat had a Seljuk shipyard built here.
Alanya Castle, known as Alaiye Castle, acquired its present magnificent structure after the Seljuk period. Following the conquest of Alanya Castle and its reunion with the sea for the second time after Sinop fell under Seljuk rule, Sultan Alaattin Keykubat was given the title "Sultan of the Two Seas." Keykubat had a Leopard Wall built to prevent the leopards he specially brought from Africa for his hunting lodge from escaping, and this wall has survived to this day.
After the Seljuks, Alanya Castle passed into the hands of the Karamanids and then the Mamluks. It was annexed to the Ottoman territories during the reign of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. With each new civilization, new additions were made to Alanya Castle, making it a precious historical artifact bearing the traces of the civilizations that once ruled these lands. Today, Alanya Castle attracts an average of around 140,000 visitors monthly, and there are settlements in certain parts of the castle. Excavations have been conducted in Alanya Castle for 30 years, shedding light on history with the uncovered remains. According to many historians and experts, Alanya Castle is one of the top 10 places that must be visited in our country.
Post a Comment