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Antalya
ANTALYA
Antalya (formerly known as Adalia; from Greek: ???????? Attália) is a large town and tourist destination, situated on the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey. It is the capital city of Antalya Province. The population of the city is 603,190 (2000 census) but reaches up to two million in summers at the height of the tourism season.
Situated on a steep cliff over the Mediterranean, Antalya is a picturesque city surrounded by mountains. Developments in tourism, starting in the 1970s, have transformed the city into an international resort. With its airport and central location, Antalya is "the capital of Turkish tourism", a gateway for the Turkish riviera and many historical sites. Furthermore, with its palm-lined boulevards, its prize-winning marina, the unspoilt historical neighbourhood of Kaleiçi, and the modern developments along the coast, the city of Antalya is a major attraction in its own right.
Antalya has plenty of accomodation, a very hot climate and many places to visit both in and around the city, including traces of Pamphylian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman architecture and cultures.
Atatürk claimed without doubt Antalya is the most beautiful place in the world.
Etymology
In the 1st century BC, the Pergamum king Attalos II ordered his men to find "heaven on earth". After a long search all over the world, they discovered this land and said "This must be 'Heaven' " and King Attalos founded the city giving it the name "Attaleia" (Greek: ????????) which later became Adalia and then Antalya.[1]
See Antalya Province for a description of the rich history of this area in antiquity
In 150 BC Attalos II, king of Pergamom, founded the city of Attalia (present day Antalya) to base his powerful naval fleet, and the city grew and prospered in the Ancient Roman and Byzantine periods, later becoming a naval base for the Christian Crusades against the Muslims in the the Levant and in Cyprus.
The city, along with the whole region, was conquered by the Seljuk Turks in the early 13th century. The Arabic traveler Ibn Battuta who came to the city in between 1335-1340 noted:
From Alaya I went to Antaliya [Adalia], a most beautiful city. It covers an immense area, and though of vast bulk is one of the most attractive towns to be seen anywhere, besides being exceedingly populous and well laid out. Each section of the inhabitants lives in a separate quarter. The Christian merchants live in a quarter of the town known as the Mina [the Port], and are surrounded by a wall, the gates of which are shut upon them from without at night and during the Friday service. The Greeks, who were its former inhabitants, live by themselves in another quarter, the Jews in another, and the king and his court and Mamluks in another, each of these quarters being walled off likewise. The rest of the Muslims live in the main city. Round the whole town and all the quarters mentioned there is another great wall. The town contains orchards and produces fine fruits, including an admirable kind of apricot, called by them Qamar ad-Din, which has a sweet almond in its kernel. This fruit is dried and exported to Egypt, where it is regarded as a great luxury
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By the second half of the 17th century Evliya Çelebi recorded a city of narrow streets containing 3,000 houses in twenty Turkish neighbourhoods and four Greek. The town had grown beyond the city walls and the port could hold up to 200 boats.
In the 18th century, in common with most of Anatolia, its actual lord was a Dere Bey. The family of Tekke Oglu, domiciled near Perge, though reduced to submission in 1812 by Mahmud II, continued to be a rival power to the Ottoman governor till within the present generation, surviving by many years the fall of the other great Beys of Anatolia. The records of the Levant (Turkey) Company, which maintained an agency here till 1825, contain information as to the local Dere Beys.
In the 19th century the population of Antalya increased as Turks from the Caucasus and the Balkans moved into Anatolia. By 1911 it was a city of about 25,000 people, including many Christians and Jews, still living in separate quarters, round the walled mina or port. The port was served by coasting steamers of the local companies only. Antalya (then Adalia) was an extremely picturesque, but ill-built and backward place. The chief thing to see was the city wall, outside which runs a good and clean promenade and which survives to this day. The government offices and the houses of the better class were all outside the walls
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Geography
The city of Antalya is situated by the Gulf of Antalya on the Mediterranean coast. The city is mostly situated on a rocky cliff called “Falez”, which is located between the Konyaalti(in the west) and Lara(in the east) beaches where it ends. The city is at an average altitude of 30 metres from sea level. The Plains of various sizes that lie between the coast and the Taurus Mountains that rise to a height of 3086 metres are one prominent feature of the city.
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Antalya today
Antalya cityThe city as a whole has grown huge now and the infrastructure such as roads and drains are struggling to catch up, but there are still areas that are very attractive indeed: Kaleiçi, with its narrow cobbled streets of historic Turkish and Greek houses is the old center of Antalya, now mainly hotels, gift shops, and many, many bars. The big new hotels such as the Sheraton are along the coast above the Konyaalti and Lara beaches, and indeed spread along the coast in both directions far beyond the city of Antalya itself.
In summer the town is heaving with tourists both from Turkey itself and sun-seeking foreigners, many from Britain and Germany and for the last few years a large number from Russia as well. On summer evenings it is too hot and humid to sleep and Antalya hums with the sound of people buzzing around on scooters or cracking open seeds and nuts with their teeth as they parade the streets with their friends and families. In winter the town is cool and quiet.
Antalya has now acquired a rich middle-class and the associated developments such as private colleges, drug-taking and luxury cars. The tree-lined avenue along the cliff-top to Konyaalt? is one of Antalya's best-known locations, lined with luxury apartments and posh shops; the other major shopping street is I??klar Caddesi.
Antalya is not all wealth and glamour of course and there are large neighbourhoods of working families struggling to survive in this hot climate, where employment is seasonal. The centre-left leader Deniz Baykal is from Antalya and the city is traditionally a stronghold of his party the Republican People's Party (AKP).
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KALKAN - PATARA
At about 10 kms. beyond Kalkan on the Kalkan-Fethiye highway you turn south and continue 10 kms. along the road to Patara. »
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KAS
Today's Kas is a coastal city of the Lycians. "Phellos" is the Greek word for "stony place" and this name is very well suited to Kas. »
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KALE - DEMRE
Situated between Finike and Kas, Myra is 25 kms. from Finike and 48 kms. from Kas. »
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FINIKE
Arykanda is located 26 km. from Turuncova on the Finike-Elmali highway. »
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KUMLUCA
The city, located in the area of today's Kumluca is 90 kms. west of Antalya. »
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KEMER
Kemer, built in 1910, is about 43 kms. from Antalya. It is a very attractive village at the outskirts of the Taurus Mountains. »
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AKSU
Perge is 18 km. east of Antalya between the Duden and Aksu streams. »
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SERIK - BELEK
After passing Serik on the Antalya-Alanya highway, you turn north and continue for 4 km. »
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MANAVGAT - SIDE
The foundation of Manavgat is not known certain, but estimated at B.C. 200-150. »
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ALANYA
The inhabitancy of Alanya goes back to the dark ages. »
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GAZIPASA
Gazipasa is 180 km.s away from the Antalya city center. It is a virgin area for the tourists. »
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SAKLIKENT
Antalya is known for its mild winters and where bathing is possible most of the year. »
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