ALANYA

Alanya is a seaside resort and district of Antalya Province in the Mediterranean region of Turkey, 120km from the city of Antalya. The district has close to 400,000 inhabitants  and over 100,000 hotel rooms.

Because of its natural strategic position on a small peninsula into the Mediterranean Sea, Alanya has been a local stronghold for many Mediterranean based empires. Alanya's greatest political importance came in the Middle Ages with the Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm under the rule of `Ala' ad-Din Kay-Qubad.

The relatively moderate Mediterranean climate, and historic heritage makes Alanya a popular destination for holidaymakers, responsible for 9% of all tourism in Turkey. The countryside here is attractive too and was at one time covered with oranges, bananas and other warm-weather crops.

Geography

Located on the Gulf of Antalya on the Anatolian coastal plain of Pamphylia, the town is between the Taurus Mountains to the north and the Mediterranean Sea, and is part of the Turkish riviera, occupying roughly 43.5 miles (70 km) of coastline. The Pamphylia plain between the sea and the mountains is an isolated example of Eastern Mediterranean conifer-sclerophyllous-broadleaf forests. The town is divided by a rocky peninsula which is perhaps the most distinctive feature of the city. The harbor and Keykubat beach, named for Sultan Kay-Qubad, are on the east side of the peninsula, and Damlataş beach, named for the famous "dripping caves," and Cleopatra beach are to the west.

Atatürk Bulvarı (Boulevard), runs parallel to the sea, and divides the southern, much more touristic side of Alanya from the northern, more native side, that extends north into the mountains. Çevre Yolu Caddesi circles the main town to the north.

Climate

Though promoting itself as "where the sun smiles," Alanya has a relatively moderate continental Mediterranean climate. The Mediterranean Basin ensures that most rain comes during the winter, leaving the summers long, hot, and dry. Storm cells sometime bring with them fair weather waterspouts when close to the shore. The presence of the Taurus Mountain in close proximity to the sea causes fog many mornings, in turn creating visible rainbows many days. The height of the mountains creates an interesting effect as snow can often be seen on them even on hot days in the city below.

Places of interest

Architecture

On the peninsula stands Alanya Kale (Castle), a Seljuk era citadel dating from 1226. Most major landmarks in the city are found inside and around the castle. The current castle was built over existing fortifications and served the double purpose of a palace of local government and as a defensive structure in case of attack. The city is currently renovating various sections of the castle area, including a Byzantine church, which is intended to be used for a Christian community center. Inside the castle is the Süleymaniye mosque, built by the later Ottoman Sultan, and the caravanserai. The old city walls surround much of the eastern peninsula, and can be walked. Inside the walls are numerous historic villas, well preserved examples of the classical period of Ottoman architecture, most built in the early 19th century.

The Kızıl Kule (Red Tower) is another well-known building in Alanya. The 33 meter high brick building stands at the harbor below the castle, and contains the municipal ethnographic museum. Sultan Ala ad-Din Kay Qubadh I brought the accomplished architect Ebu Ali from Aleppo, Syria to Alanya to design the building. The last of Alanya Castle's 83 towers, the octagonal structure specifically protected the Tersane (arsenal), it remains one of the finest examples of medieval military architecture.

The Tersane, a medieval drydock built by the Seljuk Turks in 1221, 187 by 131 feet, is divided into five vaulted bays with equilateral pointed arches. Atatürk's House and Museum, from his short stay in the city on 1935-02-18 is preserved in it's historic state and is a good example of the interior of a traditional Ottoman villa, with artifacts from the 1930s. The house was built between 1880 and 1885 in the "karniyarik," or stuffed eggplant, style. Bright colors and red roofs are often mandated by neighborhood councils, and give the modern town a pastel glow. Housed in a more Republican era building, an archaeology museum is inland from Damlataşh beach, and home to classical pieces found in and around the city as well as historic copies of the Qur'an. With its rich architectural heritage, Alanya is a member of the Norwich-based European Association of

Historic Towns and Regions

Tourism

Since the first modern motel was built in 1958, considered the first year of the tourist industry in Alanya, hotels have raced to accommodate the influx of tourists, and the city now claims 133,361 hotel beds. Damlataş cave, which originally sparked the arrival of outsiders because of the cave's microclimate, with an average temperature of 72°F (22°C) and 95% humidity, is accessible on the west side of the peninsula with trails from Damlataş beach. Many tourists, especially Scandinavians, Germans, Russians, and Dutch, now regularly vacation in Alanya during the warmer months. They are drawn to the area because of reasonable prices, warm weather, sandy beaches, access to Antalya's historic sites, and fine cuisine. Important subgroups of Alanya's tourist industry include retired Europeans and young Turkish men drawn by the prospect of foreign women looking for a holiday romance. As well as Damlataş there a number of other caves and places of natural beauty. Activities include wind surfing, parasailing, banana boating and Turkey's largest go-kart track.

Beginning in 2003, with the provisional elimination of restrictions on land purchases by non-nationals, the housing industry in the city has become highly profitable with many new private homes and condominiums being built for European and Asian part-time residents. This in turn has put pressure on the city's many gecekondu houses and establishments as property values rise. A height restriction in the city keeps high rise hotels to the east and west of the city, preserving the central skyline at the expense of greater tourist potential. The fringes of the city however have seen uncontrolled expansion.