Sights & Facts

Sights to visit and enjoy

Plan your stay by checking here what the best sights to visit are and how to get there.

Story of Turkey

There is a reason for Turkey being nicknamed the gateway to the East. The country is indeed the place where two parts of the world meet. Turkey is located on two continents.

Animals

Wild animals: Brown bears, wolves, lynxes, wild boars, foxes and many more are found here. These animals usually live in the mountains.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938)

Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 after the former military attaché and general Mustafa Kemal had lead the Turkish army to victory over the Greeks and their allies, amongst them England, France and Australia.

Bülent Ecevit (1925-2006)

Well known social democrat who was forced to flee Turkey in 1980, after the government of the day was overthrown by the military.

Yasar Kemal (1923-)

Controversial writer who besides from his skills with his pen also took an interest in the Kurdish problem and sharply criticised the government for its way of handling the problem

Keykubat Statue

The Statue of Sultan Keykubat stands at the western approaches of Alanya and is one of the first sights greeting the buses arriving from the airport.

Damlatas Cave

During blasting work for the construction of Alanya Harbour in 1948, engineers found the Damlatas cave.

Geography & Climate

The area of Turkey constitutes 780.000 km2 and the country is therefore as large as Germany and United Kingdom together.

School

In Turkey there is eight years of compulsory education. After this there is the opportunity of continuing at either a technical or a regular high school for three years. If after high school children want to go to university, they have to pass further na

The Red Tower

Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat finally conquered Alanya and had The Red Tower built primarily to defend the town`s shipyard.

Republic of Turkey

The official name of Turkey is Turkiye Cumhuriyeti and the country has been a republic since 1923 with a president and a national assembly, Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi.

Atatürk Statue

As in all other Turkish towns, the main street in Alanya is named after the countrys first president Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Side Town

Situated between the airport and Alanya is the small town of Side which dates back to the year 600 BC.

Pamukkale

Pamukkale means cotton castle. When you see this magnificent natural phenomenon, there is no doubt about why. The warm limestone-laden water gushes down a 100 metre high rock face, forming small white terraces, stalactites and pools .

Cappadocia

This landscape was created many millions of years ago at the time when the two volcanic mountains, Erciyes Dagi and Hasan Dagi, covered a vast area with lava and dust.

Istanbul

Because of its situation at the mouth of the Bosphorus, the city has always been very attractive to potential conquerors. One of those who succeeded with his conquest of Constantinople was the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II in 1453. He changed the city name to

Flora and fauna

The climatic variations are also mirrored in the different types of flora and fauna.

Holidays

In Turkey there are around 10 important holidays or celebrations. These days are celebrated according to tradition and importance

Alanya

The name Alanya did not appear until 1934 when Turkeys president at that time, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, visited the town

About the way of government

In Turkey the people choose the 550 members of parliament who then select a president.

After 1919

After the Turkish defeat in World War I the empire was divided up among the victorious partners.

Alanya Museum

The historical museum of Alanya opened its doors in 1967 and is divided into two sections; ethnographical and archeological

Alanya shipyard

The shipyard, consisting of five docks and constructed in 1226 by the Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat, is 56 metres long and 44 metres deep. The entrance to the shipyard is behind the Red Tower. The shipyard also contains offices and a little mosque located on t

Alanya Castle

High above the rest of the city is the old castle. It is located approximately 250 metres above sea level and so the views from there are breathtaking. It is difficult to confirm the exact foundation date of the castle but contributions from the Romans, B

Antalya City

The old name for the Antalya region was Pamphylia which is ancient Greek for the land of all tribes. Today Antalya is one of 81 regions in Turkey and the regional capital of the same name has about 600,000 inhabitants.

Aspendos

Aspendos theatre built in 24 AD, is one of the worlds best preserved amphitheatres. There is seating for 15,000 spectators and the theatre is renowned for its perfect acoustics.

Perge

It is believed that Perge was established by the Greeks, who settled along the Anatolian coast after conquering Troy in the north western part of Turkey. Most of what we see today belongs to the Pax Romana period.

Syedra

The ancient town of Syedra is found among banana fields located near the main road to southern Turkey. Like most ancient towns on the south coast it is divided into two parts - the harbour area from where all supplies were transported into the countryside

Hakan Sükür (1971-)

This text about Hakan Sükür was written by Adem Dogan who is a member of Galatasarays fan club Ultraslan. Without a shadow of doubt Hakan Sükür is Turkeys best and most famous footballer of all time. All records in Turkish football belong to him. For in

Tarkan (1972-)

Turkeys most famous pop-idol was born in Germany in 1972. He stayed there until he was 16 years old. He then came to Turkey to study music and take exams in classical music at the Karamurel Conservatory in Istanbul.

Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi (1207-1273)

The Turkish mystic created the brotherhood of the whirling dervishes. Through their dances they attempt to become one with the divine. Whilst dancing the dervishes wear white robes symbolizing cleanliness and they spin around with one hand pointed towards

Atatürk House

This house is where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, spent the night of 18 February 1935 when president. The house is of little historical importance but the owner, Rifat Azakoglu, left it to the Ministry of Culture as a museum

Gazipasa

Situated 40km East of Alanya easily accessible by public transport is the small untouched town of Gazipasa (the last settlement of the Antalya region).

Before 1919

The first settlements were made around 7000 BC, for example in Konya, where traces of houses, sanctuaries and sculptures have been found. These settlements are counted amongst the very first in World History.

Orhan Pamuk

2006s literature prize went to Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk.

Dalyan

Dalyan (translated means FISH TRAP) is a small fishing town situated on the riverside close to the Mediterranean sea

Sertab Erener

Sertab Erener is a popular Turkish singer who won the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest for Turkey with her song Everyway that I can

Royal Architect Sinan

Royal Architect Sinan was born In Ağırnas village close to kayseri

Turn around and glance at the mountains

When the transfer buses from the airport come close to Alanya the conversation about the ocean, the waves and the beach becomes more intense

Old customs and traditions in Alanya

Remember that not all traditions have a direct purpose but often must be seen as a symbolic act with any logical explanation. The customs and traditions mentioned here is just a selection of many. Often they are not being used any more.

How the banana came to Alanya

Boats departed from Alanya with the course set for places like Egypt and Cyprus. The holds were filled with wood, sesame seeds, beans and different kinds of nuts and fruits. On the way back they had been traded for salt, soap, oil and decorative items fro