The Magnificent Magic of Kaleici....

 

General Information

 

Antalya, which means Attalos Homeland, II. It was founded by Attalos. After the end of the Pergamon Kingdom (133 BC), the city remained independent for a while, and then fell into the hands of pirates. B.C. In 77, it was annexed to Roman territory by Commander Servilius Isauricus. B.C. In 67, it became the base of Pompey's navy. M.S. Hadrian's visit to Attaleia in 130 BC enabled the development of the city. Attaleia, whose name was seen as the episcopacy center during the Byzantine rule, showed a great development after it was captured by the Turks. Since the modern city was built on the ancient settlement, there are very few ancient ruins in Antalya. The first of the visible remains is a part of the harbor breakwater, which is described as the old port, and the city wall surrounding the port. Hadrian's Gate, which was restored in the part of the walls outside the park, is one of the most beautiful ancient monuments of Antalya.

 

Although it is known that there were structures such as temples, agora and theaters in all ancient cities in Attaleia, it is impossible to locate them today.

 

Kaleici; It is surrounded by inner and outer walls in the shape of a horseshoe, most of which have been destroyed and destroyed. The walls are the joint work of Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. The walls have 80 bastions. There are about 3000 houses with tiled roofs inside the walls. The characteristic structures of the houses not only give an idea about the architectural history of Antalya, but also reflect the lifestyle, traditions and customs of the region in the best way.

 

 

In 1972, Antalya inner harbor and Kaleiçi district were taken under protection as a "SIT area" by the "Real Estate Antiquities and Monuments High Council" due to its unique texture. The Golden Apple Tourism Oscar award was given to the Ministry of Tourism by FIJET (International Association of Tourism Writers) on April 28, 1984, for its restoration work on the "Antalya-Kaleiçi Complex". Today, Kaleiçi has become an entertainment center with its hotels, hostels, restaurants and bars.

 

Antalya, located on the Mediterranean coast in the south-west of Turkey, has been one of Anatolia's gateways to the sea throughout history. It is known from the ancient sources that there was a pirate harbor with the name of Korykos in the yacht harbor before the establishment of the ancient city of Attaleia in Antalya Kaleiçi. Korykos, which also means “Rock Burrow”, is important in terms of both the natural structure of the cliffs and being a shelter. The port and the ancient city of Attaleia, which developed behind it, dates back to BC. It has been inhabited continuously since the 2nd century and has survived to the present day.

 

Antalya Ancient City is protected by two thick horseshoe-shaped walls. One of these fortification walls is in the seaside bay and the other is on the land side. In addition to these walls, there are also walls separating the various settlements from each other, and on the outer walls there is a tower at about fifty steps. The history of the construction of these walls goes back to ancient times. The Romans laid the foundation for these Hellenistic walls, and the Seljuks expanded and repaired them.

 

Many stone blocks with ancient inscriptions were used in the construction of the walls, and they were very well preserved until the 19th century. Today, only the remains of the walls such as Hıdırlık Tower, Hadriyan Gate and Clock Tower can be found in the city. The ancient city and walls covered by the sea are called Kaleiçi today. Streets and buildings are still filled with many signs reflecting the history of Antalya. The characteristic structures of the houses not only give an idea about the architectural history of Antalya, but also reflect the lifestyle, traditions and customs of the region in the best way.

 

Narrow streets inside the city walls stretch up from the harbor along the wall. Yivli Minaret, Keyhüsrev Madrasa, Karatay Madrasa, İskele Mosque, Tekeli Mahmut Paşa Mosque are just some of the important historical monuments inside the city walls. The breathtaking view of the marina and old town throughout the day and night has inspired international painters, poets and writers.

 

Antalya Kaleiçi is bordered by the sea in the west, the main streets in the north and east, and the city walls that run parallel to these streets, some of which are still standing today. With these clear border thresholds, Kaleiçi has been protected from the multi-storey construction in the city center, and the traditional texture has been preserved until today, and has been able to live authentically.

 

The settlement pattern of Kaleiçi was formed in two different ways with the separation of the middle city wall along Cami Sokak and Hıdırlık street. The area between Cumhuriyet Street and these springs is organically developed in accordance with the topography and the city walls. The islands between the streets are not in order. The size and length of the islands are variable. The area extending from the Middle City Wall to the Karaalioğlu park and where the outer walls end with the Hıdırlık Tower, is grid-textured. Building blocks are generally rectangular in shape. In both textures, the houses sit on the street with one side and open onto the garden with the other. to the street