A romantic city of sultans and pirates,
Where the Red Tower has watched over the turquoise sea for a thousand years.
City Introduction：
Alanya, located east of Antalya along Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, is one of the region’s most beloved resort cities. Known in antiquity as Korakesion, it was once a notorious stronghold of Roman-era pirates before becoming a favored winter residence of the Seljuk sultans in the 13th century.
Alanya’s geography is strikingly dramatic: the city is wedged between steep mountain slopes and a deep blue bay, with a narrow peninsula extending into the Mediterranean. Below lies a natural harbor; above, a fortress crowned by centuries of history. Today, Alanya blends golden beaches and modern resorts with medieval towers, ancient walls, sea caves, and legends of vanished empires.
Top Attractions：
🏰 Red Tower (Kızıl Kule)
The Red Tower is the unmistakable symbol of Alanya. Built in 1226 by order of Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I, it was designed to protect the harbor and royal shipyard. Standing 33 meters high, the octagonal tower is constructed from red brick and limestone, giving it its distinctive name.
Designed by the Syrian master architect Ebu Ali Reha el-Kettani, the tower reflects a refined fusion of Arab and Persian architectural traditions. Its five internal levels were carefully engineered for defense, storage, ventilation, and water supply. Today, the tower houses an ethnographic and maritime museum, displaying traditional costumes, ship models, and historic nautical charts.
From the top of the Red Tower, visitors enjoy panoramic views of Alanya Harbor and the Mediterranean beyond. Together with the surrounding city walls, bastions, and historic shipyard, the tower forms one of the most complete medieval coastal defense systems in Anatolia.
📖 Legends of the Red Tower
Local folklore adds a layer of romance and mystery. One legend tells of a young female stonemason whose innovative design won the Sultan’s admiration, only for her to fall victim to palace intrigue—giving the tower its “blood-red” symbolism. Another tale speaks of a young woman who danced atop the tower during its inauguration, enchanted by the view, before tragically falling to her death. To this day, some claim that on midsummer nights, a woman in red can be seen dancing atop the tower in the sea breeze—earning it the nickname “The Tower of the Red Lady.”Alanya Castle (Alanya Kalesi)
Perched high on the rocky peninsula, Alanya Castle dates back to Hellenistic times, with most surviving structures expanded during the Seljuk era in the 13th century. Its 6-kilometer-long walls wind dramatically along the cliffs and down toward the sea, enclosing palace ruins, mosques, cisterns, and a former prison. At sunset, the castle offers one of the most romantic viewpoints in the region, overlooking a city slowly lighting up against the darkening sea.
