Antalya Map

Antalya as a leading Mediterranean city in the southwestern Turkey is characterized by turquoise coastlines, ancient history, and hot tourist destinations in the country. It was established in the Hellenistic period by Attalus II Philadelphus after which it prospered during the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman rule. The city is a mix of the old town areas such as the Kaleici with contemporary resorts, sparkling beaches, and scenic landscapes which are created by the Taurus Mountains.

History

History The history of Antalya is over two thousand years old, marked with the development of various cultures that left cultural and architectural heritage. It was believed that the city was built during the late 2nd century of the Common Era when a king of Pergamon, Attalus II Philadelphus, tried to find a strategic port on the Mediterranean. The settlement was named Attaleia and was an important sea port soon after having been established by its founder who was called Attaleia. In 133 BCE after Attalus III, several years after his death the Kingdom of Pergamon was willed to Rome and the region came under the Roman reign.

Antalya was a theatrical economic and architectural centre in Roman times. Buildings like the Hadrian's Gate that was built by 130 CE to honor the visit of Emperor Hadrian, portrayed the increased stature of the city. The cities that were closely connected to Antalya, such as Aspendos and Perge, which today have become important archaeological locations, were among the reasons that made the region to be a cultural center of Pamphylia. It could expand trade with the rest of the Roman world via its harbor. By the beginning of the Byzantine Empire, the city (now called Attaleia) was the most important naval base because of its defensible harbor and strategic location in trade and pilgrimage routes. Its fortifications were enhanced with challenges at sea since the empire faced Arab maritime attacks between the 7th and the 10th centuries. Kaleici walled quarter has the remnants of this era such as parts of defense walls and towers. A new stage in the development of the city began in 1207 when Seljuk Turks captured the city.

Being a component of the Sultanate of Rum, Antalya emerged to be a key port connecting Anatolia and Mediterranean trade systems all the way to Egypt, Syria, and Italian maritime republics. The Seljuks also renovated and extended fortifications and created mosques, bazaars and caravan networks to make regional trade thrive again. This Islamic architectural influence is commemorated by the famous Yivli Minaret of the city constructed during Sultan Keykubad I. In the late 14th century during the gradual development of the Ottoman Empire, Antalya became a part of the Ottoman territory. It became an agricultural centre, maritime trading centre and local craftsmanship centre. Ottomans maintained the multicultural nature of the port where Muslim, Greek, Jews and Armenians were living and trading. Antalya turned into a modern city in the 20th century shortly after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire and the formation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. The evolution of tourism reintroduced the concept in the 1970s changed the face of tourism to become one of the most desired places in the Mediterranean by making it a combination of both ancient and modern development without changing the rich historical value.

Culture

Culture The local culture is highly influenced by Mediterranean lifestyle. Social life tends to be characterized around open air areas, tea gardens, beach fronts and bustling bazaars. The neighbourhood squares and courtyards are often the venue of community events, accompanied by discussions, music and communal meals, all with the warm and hospitable nature attached to the south of Turkey. This hospitality is also closely connected to the fact that the area has a lengthy history as a port city where the people were exposed to different traders and travelers, which led to the development of openness and cultural exchange. The number of cultural markers that are very well pronounced in Antalya is cuisine.

The Mediterranean climate has been embracing the local diet that includes olive oil, fresh production, seafood, citrus fruits, and herbs indigenous to the area. Different dishes like piyaz prepared using dressing (tahini) that is unique to Antalya, grilled fish, keskek, stuffed vegetables and fruits in season help demonstrate simplicity together with the freshness. The agricultural wealth of the local plains can be witnessed in the local markets in the form of pomegranates, oranges, and olives. Folk traditions still form the main part of the region. Regional dances that are accompanied by music done with stringed instruments such as saz include expressive movements and footwork of rhythmic steps. These plays were some of the highlights in weddings, harvests, and festivals of the culture that celebrate both the history of the community and the arts presently.

The crafts such as carpet weaving, leather and copperware hold great heritage in artisanal skills that have been passed on over the centuries. The role played by religion and especially Islam in everyday life is meaningful and harmonious. There are historic mosques, monuments created during Roman times, and Byzantine churches, and they show that the city has traditionally had a multicultural atmosphere. Modern Antalya cherishes its varied history but still preserves local spirit concerning family-related values, hospitality, and the overall community spirit.

Language

Language The linguistic diversity of the Antalya area speaks of both the strong Anatolian notions and the long-term experience of the area as a port on the Mediterranean. The predominant language used in daily life, administration, education and media is Turkish which is overwhelmingly dominant. Its local language is a part of a wider southwestern Anatolian group, which is characterized by weaker consonant articulations, melodic intonation, and some words specific to the region.

These dialectal elements will provide evidence of centuries of contact among communities that lived along the coast and communities that lived inland. Since Antalya was a great trading port since antiquity, it has been in contact with Greek, Arabic, Italian and other Turkic languages, although this contact does not manifest itself in the contemporary speech, but instead in location names, old signs and place names, as well as some loanwords. Even in the old town part and the archaeological areas, there is still evidence of ancient Greek and Latin inscriptions of ancient civilizations which provides one a glimpse of the multicultural history of the city. Nowadays, the fact that Antalya is one of the most frequented tourist spots in Turkey has rendered the concept of multilingualism more elusive. Hospitality, tourism, and commercial places and specifically in the coast and in major attractions speak English well.

There are also Russian and German languages that are usually spoken in touristic regions because of the high number of visitors and the established tourism relations. But these languages are usually service oriented languages and not community languages. Although its geographical location is very globalized, Antalya still preserves Turkish as the essence of daily communication, cultural performance and locality. Interplay between local dialects, traditional languages and international tourist languages leads to the dynamic language environment which is a manifestation of both tradition and the participation of the modern global dynamics.

Geography

Geography The geography of Antalya is characterized by the dramatic convergence of the mountains and plain fertile lands as well as the Mediterranean Sea. The city lies on the southwestern coast of Turkey on the Gulf of Antalya, a deep entertainment of the eastern Mediterranean. This is due to the fact that this coastal environment defines the warm climate, marine life and economical activities associated with agriculture and tourism. The geography of the city is unbelievable, the sea at the south and the harsh Taurus Mountains at the north initialise a sharp slope, and the coastline turns into the highland abruptly.

The geography of the area focuses on the mountains. The combination of limestone and the fact that they have created a high number of caves, canyons, and even karst represent a geologically highly significant landscape on the one hand due to their appearance. The rivers which run off these mountains, like the Duden, Aksu and Koprucay, irrigate rich alluvial plains before falling into the Mediterranean. These deserts constitute one of the most fruitful agricultural basins in the country where citrus orchard, pomegranates, olives, cotton, and greenhouse vegetable agriculture is practiced. One of the most well-known natural features of the city of Antalya is waterfalls. Mountain streams feed the upper and lower Duden Waterfalls, and lead them down into the sea, the lower falls falling in full headlong plunge off the cliffs of the coast into the Mediterranean. To the interior, places such as Koprulu Canyon have steep gullies cut in the Koprucay River, which provide homes to a wide range of flora and fauna. The coastline of Antalya is typified by lengthy sand beaches, rocky coves and limestone cliffs. Konyaalti shoreline is to the west with steep mountain slopes and to the east is the Lara coast with stretches of sand.

Marine organisms of a warm-water habitat can be found in the Mediterranean offshore and the coastal waters are considered clear and deep. The area also can boast of major archaeological landscapes, which place into the physical geography. Close to ancient cities like Termessos are constructed high up in the mountains showing how the geography determined the settlement pattern of the ancient times. River valleys and available harbors are especially significant in the extant coastal areas such as Perge and Side. City Antalya Province Antalya Country Turkey Region Mediterranean Area 20,591 km2 Population 2,722,103 FAQ's Q.1: What are the conditions in Antalya? Antalya boasts of average Mediterranean climate; that is, there is hot and dry summer, and mild and rainy winters. It is among the warmest cities of Turkey and annually it gets more than 300 sunny days. Q.2: Is Antalya a secure tourist location? Yes. Antalya is considered secure for visitors. Normal security including protecting the possessions are advised .

FAQs