forests, many of which are easily accessible from the city.
With its palm-lined boulevard, internationally-acclaimed marina,
and old castle with traditional architecture, all set amidst a
modern city, Antalya is a major tourist centre in Turkey. In
addition to the wide selection of hotels, restaurants, bars,
nightclubs and shops, the city also plays host to a number of
sporting events throughout the year, like International Beach
Volleyball, triathlon, golf tournaments, archery, tennis and
canoeing competitions. The Cultural Centre, which opened in
1995, hosts cultural and art events in the fields of music,
theatre, and creative arts. The main area of interest in the
city is central old quarter within the Roman walls, known as
Kaleici, and there are many good museums.
Districts: Akseki, Alanya, Elmali, Finike, Gazipasa, Gundogmus,
Ibradi, Kale, Kas, Kemer, Korkutali, Kumluca, Manavgat and Serik
are all towns in the province of Antalya.
Akseki
After Alanya, Akseki is the oldest district in the province of
Antalya, and has an appearance that befits its location in the
rugged Taurus mountains, in a forested and very rocky area. The
history of Akseki extends back to the Roman era, when it was
known as Marla (Marulya), and has been continually inhabited
until the present day. The developments in the tourism sector in
the Antalya region in recent years have been seen in Akseki as
well. The area is well known for the snowdrop flower, and every
years sees local and foreign visitors coming every winter to see
these flowers breaking through the snow, as the first sign of
spring.
In the Giden Gelmez Mountains, goats are protected and limited
hunting is available year-round with the purchase of a license.
Another spot frequented by visitors is the trout farming
facilities in the villages of Sinan hoca and Gumusdamla. The
primary game in the area is mountain goat, rabbit, bear and fox.
Other areas worth visiting are the Goktepe Highland, Giden
Gelmez Mountains, Cimi Highland, Irmak Valley and the 340-metre
deep Bucaklan Cave, which has only recently been discovered.
Buildings of interest are the Ulu Camii and medreses.
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The exact founding date of Elmali, which is located
within the borders of ancient Lycia, is unknown.
Excavations to the east at Karatas near the village of
Semahoyuk, and to the west in the village of Beyler
indicate that the area has been inhabited seen the
Bronze Age.
Throughout history it has suffered the rising and
falling fortune of the Lycian region, being ruled
respectively by the Persian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine,
Seljuk and Ottoman empires.
Tumuluses There are several tumuluses in nearby
villages. The first is west of the city in the village
of Mugren, on top of which sits a small fortress dating
back to the Roman era. Surface-level archaeological
research indicates that the area was inhabited in the
Bronze Age by various civilisations. Another village to
the west, Semahoyuk, has a tumulus but due to the fact
that an Ottoman cemetery is located on top of it, no
research has been done. The third and largest tumulus is
in Beyler, south of the city on the Elmali - Kas road.
Excavations conducted here show that the area has been
continuously inhabited from the Bronze Age right up to
the present time. The items unearthed in the excavations
are exhibited in the Antalya Museum. |
East of the city 6 km from the village of Elmali near the
village of Bayindir, there are several tumuluses side by side.
Artifacts dating back to the 7th century BC were unearthed
during the excavations. Now on display in a special section of
the Antalya Museum, these findings represent a cross-section of
life during that era. A statuette of pure silver and two of
ivory bear witness to the fact that the art of sculpture in
ancient Anatolia had reached a level of some sophistication.
Memorial Tombs There are tombs in Karaburun and Kizilbel. The
walls of the King's Tomb in Karaburun, on the Antalya - Elmali
road, is decorated with frescoes of scenes of hunting and war.
The tomb in Kizilbel is west of the city on the Elmali - Yuvayol
road, and is a single room made of limestone blocks.
Define Described as the Treasure of the Century, this was
discovered in 1984, just north of the Antalya - Elmali road
between the King's Tomb and the village of Gokpinar. Consisting
of 190 pieces of ancient silver coins, the treasure was smuggled
to America by antique treasure thieves. It is still on display
in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts as part of a private
collection. The Athens Decadrachme, 14 pieces each worth
US$600,000, is said to be the world's most valuable treasure
find.
Mosques The most interesting mosques in the area include
Selcuklu Camii, Kutuk Camii, Sinan-i Ummi Camii, Omer Pasa Camii
and medrese. |
