Antalya

The city of Antalya stretches along the bay bearing its name, and is built at 39 meters altitude on a rocky coastline. One is immediately struck by the Taurus Mountains rising to 3086 meters above this coastline, interspersed with valleys of varying sizes. Land and sea everywhere meet the beaches stretching for miles or the steep cliffs. The Taurus Mountains against the blue backdrop of the sky, the precipices and especially the caves close to the sea add another dimension of natural beauty to the region. Small and large streams emerging from the west side of the Taurus water the plains on their journey to the Mediterranean. This translucent running water, cascading into the sea at points along the coast, is another attractive sight. The plant life of Antalya is extremely varied. Every kind of tropical plant can be found along the coast. Visitors to Antalya are struck by the size attained by the different species of cactus. When you reach the foothills of the Taurus, you will see they are covered in the typical Mediterranean maquis, while the forests are full of thriving oaks and pine trees. The cotton and sesame plantations and citrus and banana groves of the plains have a beauty of their own. Advantages of Antalya 3.5 Hours flight-time from the UK Mediterranean climate around 300 days of sun per year Many tourist attractions: Aqua-park, diving, sports facilities, close to historical sites Perge, Aspendos, Side Affordable cost of living and growing economy

History
Records from the Hittite period (when the first recorded political union of Anatolian cities was set up calling itself the Lycian league) refer to the area as the Lands of Arzawa and document the lively interaction going on between provinces in 1700 BC. Historical records document how cities developed independently, how the area as a whole was called Pamphilia and how a federation of cities was set up in the province. There is also a record of the migration of the Akha clan to the area after the Trojan war. The reign of the kingdom of Lydia in west Anatolia came to an end in 560 BC after it was defeated by the Persians during the battle of Sardis in 546 BC. From 334 BC until his death Alexander the Great conquered the cities of the area one by one - leaving out Termessos and Silion. With the defeat of the Seleucid army at Apamaea began the reign of the kingdon of Pergamom. In 150 BC Attalos II, king of Pergamom, founded the city of Attala?a (present day Antalya) to base his powerful naval fleet. When Attalos III, the last king of Pergamom, died in 133 BC he left his kingdom to the Romans. The Roman and subsequent Byzantine Empires ruled the area for the next 13 centuries. In 1207 A.D. the Selchuk Turks conquered Antalya

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and then Alanya in 1220 A.D.This marked the end of Roman/Byzantine rule. Ottoman rule began in 1391. The brief occupation of the area by the Italians came to an abrupt end after the First World War with the founding of the Turkish Republic in 1923. The area is now registered as a province of the Republic of Turkey.

Antalya Culture

Thanks to its historical background, Antalya region enjoys a rich culture and ethnography. In addition to characteristics of settled cultures, the local people also synthesized the characteristics of the Yoruk nomadic culture, thus establishing a unique culture of the town. The migration of the local people from the shore towards the uplands on Taurus Mountains because of the excessive temperature during summer season created a need as such forcing them to produce the needs of the Yoruk culture in addition to the products grown on the coast. These people owning herds of sheep and goats before everything else, first produced felt tents from the wool of animal produce such as milk, butter, cheese. They dried various fruits in the mountains and made jams and pickled with them, made molasses from grapes. 40 different jams are made in the region including bitter orange, bergamot, apricot and many more. besides the livestock farming, dairy produce and hunting the local people migrating to the uplands of Taurus mountains also valued handicraft and mainly wove the famous Dosemealti carpets of the area. All these authentic local products are sold in restored commercial buildings and souvenir shops in Antalya.

Areas of interest
The Marina
The Kaleici yacht marina whose ownership belongs to the department of treasury was rented to Antalya financial directorate on 05.12.2001 for a period of 10 years. The yacht marina that is already affiliated with Antalya Metropolitan municipality Operations and Participation Bureau Directorate is being governed by the yacht marina operation manager ship.

The Antalya Archeological Museum

This is the second largest museum in Turkey, covering an area of 7000 m2. It has 13 exhibition halls and an open-air gallery. There are about 5000 artefacts on display. Antalya Museum is the only museum in Turkey with a section devoted to children. In the first hall of the museum, antiquities showing homework and mathematical calculations made on clay tablets by children are displayed. In the Natural History and Prehistory Hall there are fossil and mineral samples relating to the development and living creatures of the geological era. These are pine cone fossils, sea urchins and brachiopod fossils. Also on display here are hand axes, arrowheads, cutting stones, bone tools, wedges and various instruments found at Karain and Beldibi caves in the Antalya region dating from the Prehistoric, Paleolithic, Neolithic and Calcolithic eras.

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The old Town

Old town is located in a place known as Kaleici. Kaleici containes ruins dating back thousands of years temples, churches, basilicas, 715 houses and 47 monuments from the time of Selcuk and Ottoman dwellings. Most of these having been restored, they serve tourism. As a result of the efforts made, the Golden Apple, recognised as the Tourism Oscar, was awarded to Antalya Kaleii in 1984. The foremost work of art dating from the Roman era in the region is Hadrian's Gate, built in 139 A.D. in commemoration of the Emperor Hadrian's visit to the city. Also known as Kapilar, this two-tier monumental gate has three arches and 8 columns with Corinthian capitals set upon pedestals at the faade and rear. There are square watch towers on either side of the gate. On the western falez rock end of the Antalya Park, the 14-metre high, two-tier Hidirlik Tower is visible. Dating from the Roman era, it is thought to have been used as a lighthouse. The tower, with a square base and the upper part built of rounded carved stone blocks, and remains of frescoes visible on its inner walls, was later used as a basilica.

Atuturk Park
Named after the founder of Turkey, Atuturk park and cultural center and botanical gardens offers spectacular views of the Turkish Riviera. The parks beautiful landscaping combined with its wonderful natural setting make this a fantastic spot to enjoy. When the light fades, tourists can retreat to the nearby amusement park or drop into the nearby shopping mall for dinner and a movie. There are many musical performances in the cultural center which take place throughout the year and the well known Piano festival also takes place in the park.

The Duden waterfalls

The Duden waterfalls are located 12 km from the city centre. The waterfalls, formed by a Karstic depression, are 20 metres high and also spring from underground at the point where the water falls. By entering into the Cave of Wishes located underneath the waterfalls it is also possible to pass to the rear side of the water. The location of the waterfalls has the appearance of a botanical heaven thanks to the rich variety of plants. In the deep valley formed by the falling and flowing water of the waterfalls there are promenades and trout restaurants. The rock tombs observed around the valley bring to mind that the area was a sacred place in ancient times. After 8km the water from the falls forms a small creek, creating a magnificent spectacle as it cascades over the 40 metre high falez rock into the sea in the Lara region. There are restaurants and picnic areas on the falez rock with a view of the sea and waterfalls. Touristic boat tours are organised to the waterfalls from the Marina.

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