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Alanya, the last important holiday resort on the Turkish
Riviera, is located in a beautiful bay overlooked by the
Taurus Mountains and surrounded by banana, orange and lemon tree
plantations.
Every year in August, folkloric events take place in Alanya.The
Alanya International Triathlon Competition takes place every year
in October.
The ancient city of Coracesium, which was an old pirates'den in
the 2C BC, was destroyed by Pompey in 67 AD. Mark Antony, charmed
by the site, offered the city to Cleopatra as a wedding gift. The
Seljuk Turks conquired the place in 1221 and Alaeddin Keykubat,
the greatest Seljuk sovereign, gave it its medieval aspect. Alanya
was also the winter residence of Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat.
Ferries link Alanya to Girne / Northern Cyprus.
Places of interest:
The Fortress
can be reached through a road that snakes among gardens in flower
and colored houses. It is built 117 m / 384 feet above the sea,
and is surrounded by walls running on 6 km / 3.75 miles. The
remains of cisterns, an old palace, a yard decorated with frescoes
and military constructions, are located in the upper part of the
fortress. Also there is the St George Church which is a 6C
Byzantine building, and the "edge" where condemned prisoners were
hurled over the cliff.
Sultan Aksebe Tomb (türbe) and the Süleymaniye Mosque (also of
Seljuk origins but transformed by the Ottomans), as well as a
caravanserai are located in the lower part.
The Port and Naval Dockyard
The Red Tower (Kizil Kule) is a 33 m / 108 ft high octogonal
tower made of red brick which defended the naval dockyard.
In
the surroudings of Alanya it is possible to visit caves. The most
interesting are the Damlatas Caves which have huge
stalactites and stalagmites. The other caves are Kizlar Magarasi,
Asiklar and Fosforlu. Located 15 km / 9.3 miles away from Alanya,
Dim Valley is also an ideal place to make a refreshing
excursion (streams and beach).
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