Alanya’s ancient name “Korakos” meant “a place full of crows”. The city was called “Kalonaros” (Beautiful Mountain) in the Middle Ages. When the Anatolian Seljuk Sultan Keykubat was enthroned, he took on the epithet “Alaeddin” (meaning “superior” or “sovereign”) and Kalonaros became “Alaiye”, or “the city of Ala”. Eventually this was transformed into Alanya, the name the city goes by today.
Modern Alanya is dominated by a huge plug of rock topped off with the remains of a Seljuk castle. This is by far the most interesting part of what is a predominantly modern city. Make it easy on yourself by taking a bus or taxi up and then walking the three kilometers down again to take advantage of the wonderful sea views and to visit the other minor sites on the rock, including a fine Ottoman mosque and bedesten (covered market). Some lovely old Ottoman houses still cling to the hillside as well.
Of Alanya’s several caves, the most famous is the Damlataş Mağrası (Dripping Stone Cave), whose humid atmosphere is supposedly good for asthmatics. Some people will prefer the less crowded Dim Mağarası (Cave), known as the “Gavur İni” (Cave of the Infidel) to the locals. Being the seaside resort it is, Alanya offers a great choice of daily boat tours which visit the Korsanlar, Aşıklar, and Fosforlu Caves, as well as the Cleopatra and Ulaş beaches.
The local museum contains small but interesting archaeological and ethnological collections. The house in which Atatürk stayed overnight on 18 February 1935 is also open to the public.
Kızılkule is the symbol of the city
Although the city of Alanya dates back for many centuries, it never played a major role in history. However, when Alaeddin Keykubat commissioned a Syrian architect to build the aptly-named Kızılkule (the Red Tower) in 1226, he put the city on the world map. Eighty-seven steps lead to the top and a spectacular view out over the sea. The Tersane is another local attraction. Also commissioned by Keykubat, this dockyard, built in 1228, is the only example of its kind to survive from the Seljuk period. The tower next to it is known to have been used as an armory.
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