Antalya Province
Encyclopedia
Antalya Province is located on the Mediterranean coast of south-west Turkey
, between the Taurus Mountains
and the Mediterranean sea
.
Antalya Province is the centre of Turkey's tourism industry, attracting 30% of foreign tourists visiting Turkey. The province of Antalya corresponds to the lands of ancient Pamphylia
to the east and Lycia
to the west. It features a shoreline of 657 km (408 mi) with beaches, ports, and ancient cities scattered throughout, including the World Heritage Site
Xanthos
. The provincial capital is Antalya
city with a population of 1,001,318.
Antalya is the fastest-growing province in Turkey; with a 4.17% yearly population growth rate between years 1990-2000, compared with the national rate of 1.83%. This growth is due to a fast rate of urbanization, particularly driven by tourism and other service sectors on the coast.
, who founded the city in the 2nd century BC.
There are long periods shrouded in mystery until records from the Hittite
period refer to the area as part of the "Lukka Lands" (from which "Lycia
" is derived) and document the lively interaction going on between provinces in the second millennium BC. Like their descendants, the Lukkans or Lycians
were known for their seamanship (especially their piracy) and demonstrated a fiery independent spirit. Neither the Hittites, nor the Kingdom of Arzawa on the west coast, could ever keep them at peace for long. Legends of Ancient Greece
tell us that these communities grew into independent cities, the area as a whole came to be called Pamphylia
. A federation of these cities was set up. There are also tales of the migration of the Akha clan to the area after the Trojan war
and eventually Greek settlements were built along the coast and inland.
In the Hellenistic period, the western parts of Antalya province were in Lycia
, the east was in Pamphylia
, and at the extremes east, in ancient Cilicia
, while Pisidia
was to the north.
Before the Ancient Roman conquest Lycia was a kingdom with the first democratic constitution in the world, which later partly inspired the American Constitution.
Antalya was part of the Lydia
n kingdom from the 7th century BC until Lydia was defeated by the Persians during the battle of Sardis in 546 BC. The Macedonian commander Alexander the Great ended Persian rule and in around 334 BC conquered the cities of the area one by one—except for Termessos
and Sillyon
which managed to repulse his armies in 333 BC. After the death of Alexander in 323 BC, a long battle erupted between his generals that lasted until 188 BC.
The reign of the kingdom of Pergamon
began with the defeat of the Seleucid army at Apamea
. Shortly after this the city of Antalya
was founded. When Attalos III, the last king of Pergamom, died in 133 BC he left his kingdom to the Ancient Romans. At this time the area is dominated by pirates based in small cities along the coast.
During the mid-Byzantine
era (the 5th and 6th centuries) the city of Antalya grew beyond the city walls.
From the 7th century Muslim Arabs started to be dominant in the region and Antalya later played a part in the Christian Crusades
against Islam
. The army of Louis VII
sailed from Antalya for Syria
in 1148, and the fleet of Richard I of England
rallied here before the conquest of Cyprus
. In the late 11th and early 12th Century much of the area of the modern province fell to the Turks
especially the Danishmends
. From 1120 to March 1207, Antalya was again under the sovereignty of Byzantines.
had a palace here. In 1220 Byzantine rule ended for the last time and the city was quickly divided into Christian and Muslim sections, the Christian trading communities including Venetians
and Genoese
. Alanya
also grew and throve during the Seljuk period.
under Murad II
in 1432. Antalya also was occupied by Kingdom of Cyprus
between 1361-1373. Ottoman rule of the coast persisted until the end of the First World War, when Antalya was briefly occupied by Italian troops before becoming part of the Republic of Turkey in 1921.
There are many archaeological sites in the province including three National Parks and three Specially Protected Areas.
, between the longitudes 29°20'-32°35'East and latitudes 36°07'-37°29'North. The province covers an area of %26 (20591 sq m) of Turkey. The southern border of the province is the Mediterranean sea
while the Taurus mountains
draw the land border. From west to east the province is bordered by Muğla
, Burdur
, Isparta
, Konya
and İçel provinces. The land of the province is 77.8% mountainous, 10.2% plain and 12% uneven. Many of the peaks of the Taurus mountains are above 500–3000 metres. The Teke peninsula (corresponds to ancient Lycia
) in the west includes wide plateaus and river basins. Climate, agriculture, demographics and habitation patterns differ greatly between the inland mountain areas and the coastal plain.
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The highest point of the Taurus mountains is Akdağ at an altitude of 3025 metres. Located to the northwest of the city centre and at a distance of 50 km (31 mi) is the Saklıkent
ski and recreation centre on Beydağları. Here one can ski and then go down to the shore and into the sea during the months of January–April. In Saklıkent there are two teleski and ski courses along with villas and accommodation facilities available in the area. Situated on Bakırlı Hill behind Saklıkent is the Antalya National Space Observatory. It is possible to watch meteor showers and shooting stars on certain days of the year. In rivers rafting and canoeing sports and on the Taurus mountains jeep safari, hunting and trekking tours are organised. Alternatively, there is rock-climbing, bird watching tourism, photo-safari, mountain tourism, line fishing and health tourism at the thalasso and dialysis centres in Geyikbayırı. Holy tourism activities are organized in Myra
and Patara where St Nicholas was born and lived. The eternal flames of Chimaera that was the inspiration for the Chimera myth
is also located in Antalya. In the area of Belek
, 30 km (19 mi). east of Antalya, there is a big potential for golf tourism with the bonus of the cultural, historical and natural sightseeing of the region. There are five golf facilities already operating in Belek. There are underwater diving centres on the coast, primarily in Kemer
, Çamyuva
, Olympos, Adrasan, Kaş
, Kalkan
, Üçağız, Kekova
, Side
and Alanya
. In addition, yacht tours are organized from the port of Antalya to Düden Waterfall-Karpuzkaldıran and Kemer, from Side to Alanya, from Demre
-Çayağzı to Kekova, from Kaş to Kekova, from Kemer to Çıralı
-Olympos-Adrasan and Cape Gelidonya
. There are also boat tours on Manavgat
creek and canoe tours on Xanthos
creek. In addition, Blue Cruise
, which covers the southwestern Anatolian coast, ends in Antalya. There are ferryboat trips from Alanya to Cyprus
and from Antalya to Italy
. Antalya today is a world tourism centre with its unique touristic accommodation facilities, nature and historical beauties.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, between the Taurus Mountains
Taurus Mountains
Taurus Mountains are a mountain complex in southern Turkey, dividing the Mediterranean coastal region of southern Turkey from the central Anatolian Plateau. The system extends along a curve from Lake Eğirdir in the west to the upper reaches of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in the east...
and the Mediterranean sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
.
Antalya Province is the centre of Turkey's tourism industry, attracting 30% of foreign tourists visiting Turkey. The province of Antalya corresponds to the lands of ancient Pamphylia
Pamphylia
In ancient geography, Pamphylia was the region in the south of Asia Minor, between Lycia and Cilicia, extending from the Mediterranean to Mount Taurus . It was bounded on the north by Pisidia and was therefore a country of small extent, having a coast-line of only about 75 miles with a breadth of...
to the east and Lycia
Lycia
Lycia Lycian: Trm̃mis; ) was a region in Anatolia in what are now the provinces of Antalya and Muğla on the southern coast of Turkey. It was a federation of ancient cities in the region and later a province of the Roman Empire...
to the west. It features a shoreline of 657 km (408 mi) with beaches, ports, and ancient cities scattered throughout, including the World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
Xanthos
Xanthos
Xanthos was the name of a city in ancient Lycia, the site of present day Kınık, Antalya Province, Turkey, and of the river on which the city is situated...
. The provincial capital is Antalya
Antalya
Antalya is a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. With a population 1,001,318 as of 2010. It is the eighth most populous city in Turkey and country's biggest international sea resort.- History :...
city with a population of 1,001,318.
Antalya is the fastest-growing province in Turkey; with a 4.17% yearly population growth rate between years 1990-2000, compared with the national rate of 1.83%. This growth is due to a fast rate of urbanization, particularly driven by tourism and other service sectors on the coast.
Etymology
The city and thus the province are named after Attalos II, king of PergamonPergamon
Pergamon , or Pergamum, was an ancient Greek city in modern-day Turkey, in Mysia, today located from the Aegean Sea on a promontory on the north side of the river Caicus , that became the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon during the Hellenistic period, under the Attalid dynasty, 281–133 BC...
, who founded the city in the 2nd century BC.
Antiquity
Antalya has been settled since pre-historic times. Evidence of human habitation dating back to the early Paleolithic age (150,000-200,000) years has been discovered in the Karain caves, 30 km (19 mi) of the north of Antalya city. Other finds dating back to the Mesolithic (Beldibi caves), Neolithic (Bademağacı Höyüğü) and more recent periods show that the area has been populated by various civilizations throughout the ages.There are long periods shrouded in mystery until records from the Hittite
Hittites
The Hittites were a Bronze Age people of Anatolia.They established a kingdom centered at Hattusa in north-central Anatolia c. the 18th century BC. The Hittite empire reached its height c...
period refer to the area as part of the "Lukka Lands" (from which "Lycia
Lycia
Lycia Lycian: Trm̃mis; ) was a region in Anatolia in what are now the provinces of Antalya and Muğla on the southern coast of Turkey. It was a federation of ancient cities in the region and later a province of the Roman Empire...
" is derived) and document the lively interaction going on between provinces in the second millennium BC. Like their descendants, the Lukkans or Lycians
Lycians
-Historical accounts:According to Herodotus, the Lycians originally came from Crete and were the followers of Sarpedon. They were expelled by Minos and ultimately settled in territories belonging to the Solymoi of Milyas in Asia Minor. The Lycians were originally known as Termilae before being...
were known for their seamanship (especially their piracy) and demonstrated a fiery independent spirit. Neither the Hittites, nor the Kingdom of Arzawa on the west coast, could ever keep them at peace for long. Legends of Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
tell us that these communities grew into independent cities, the area as a whole came to be called Pamphylia
Pamphylia
In ancient geography, Pamphylia was the region in the south of Asia Minor, between Lycia and Cilicia, extending from the Mediterranean to Mount Taurus . It was bounded on the north by Pisidia and was therefore a country of small extent, having a coast-line of only about 75 miles with a breadth of...
. A federation of these cities was set up. There are also tales of the migration of the Akha clan to the area after the Trojan war
Trojan War
In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, the king of Sparta. The war is among the most important events in Greek mythology and was narrated in many works of Greek literature, including the Iliad...
and eventually Greek settlements were built along the coast and inland.
Lycia
Lycia Lycian: Trm̃mis; ) was a region in Anatolia in what are now the provinces of Antalya and Muğla on the southern coast of Turkey. It was a federation of ancient cities in the region and later a province of the Roman Empire...
, the east was in Pamphylia
Pamphylia
In ancient geography, Pamphylia was the region in the south of Asia Minor, between Lycia and Cilicia, extending from the Mediterranean to Mount Taurus . It was bounded on the north by Pisidia and was therefore a country of small extent, having a coast-line of only about 75 miles with a breadth of...
, and at the extremes east, in ancient Cilicia
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
, while Pisidia
Pisidia
Pisidia was a region of ancient Asia Minor located north of Lycia, and bordering Caria, Lydia, Phrygia and Pamphylia. It corresponds roughly to the modern-day province of Antalya in Turkey...
was to the north.
Before the Ancient Roman conquest Lycia was a kingdom with the first democratic constitution in the world, which later partly inspired the American Constitution.
Antalya was part of the Lydia
Lydia
Lydia was an Iron Age kingdom of western Asia Minor located generally east of ancient Ionia in the modern Turkish provinces of Manisa and inland İzmir. Its population spoke an Anatolian language known as Lydian....
n kingdom from the 7th century BC until Lydia was defeated by the Persians during the battle of Sardis in 546 BC. The Macedonian commander Alexander the Great ended Persian rule and in around 334 BC conquered the cities of the area one by one—except for Termessos
Termessos
Termessos or Thermessos was a Pisidian city built at an altitude of more than 1000 meters at the south-west side of the mountain Solymos in the Taurus Mountains . It lies 30 kilometres to the north-west of Antalya...
and Sillyon
Sillyon
Sillyon was an important fortress and city near Attaleia in Pamphylia, on the southern coast of modern Turkey. The native Greco-Pamphylian form was Selyniys, possibly deriving from the original Hittite Sallawassi. Its modern Turkish names are Yanköy Hisarı or Asar Köy.- Antiquity :Throughout...
which managed to repulse his armies in 333 BC. After the death of Alexander in 323 BC, a long battle erupted between his generals that lasted until 188 BC.
The reign of the kingdom of Pergamon
Pergamon
Pergamon , or Pergamum, was an ancient Greek city in modern-day Turkey, in Mysia, today located from the Aegean Sea on a promontory on the north side of the river Caicus , that became the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon during the Hellenistic period, under the Attalid dynasty, 281–133 BC...
began with the defeat of the Seleucid army at Apamea
Apamea
Apamea or Apameia is the name of several Hellenistic cities in western Asia, after Apama, the wife of Seleucus I Nicator:*Apamea , on the Tigris near the Euphrates, precise location unknown, now in Iraq...
. Shortly after this the city of Antalya
Antalya
Antalya is a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. With a population 1,001,318 as of 2010. It is the eighth most populous city in Turkey and country's biggest international sea resort.- History :...
was founded. When Attalos III, the last king of Pergamom, died in 133 BC he left his kingdom to the Ancient Romans. At this time the area is dominated by pirates based in small cities along the coast.
The Byzantines
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
era (the 5th and 6th centuries) the city of Antalya grew beyond the city walls.
From the 7th century Muslim Arabs started to be dominant in the region and Antalya later played a part in the Christian Crusades
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
against Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. The army of Louis VII
Louis VII of France
Louis VII was King of France, the son and successor of Louis VI . He ruled from 1137 until his death. He was a member of the House of Capet. His reign was dominated by feudal struggles , and saw the beginning of the long rivalry between France and England...
sailed from Antalya for Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
in 1148, and the fleet of Richard I of England
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
rallied here before the conquest of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. In the late 11th and early 12th Century much of the area of the modern province fell to the Turks
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
especially the Danishmends
Danishmends
The Danishmend dynasty was a Turcoman dynasty that ruled in north-central and eastern Anatolia in the 11th and 12th centuries. The centered originally around Sivas, Tokat, and Niksar in central-northeastern Anatolia, they extended as far west as Ankara and Kastamonu for a time, and as far south as...
. From 1120 to March 1207, Antalya was again under the sovereignty of Byzantines.
The Seljuk Turks
The area was conquered by the Seljuk Turks and recaptured by the Byzantines again and again from 1076 onwards as the Seljuks strove to establish a trading base on the Mediterranean. At one stage Turkish lord Kilij ArslanKilij Arslan I
Kilij Arslan was the Seljuq Sultan of Rûm from 1092 until his death in 1107. He ruled the Sultanate during the time of the First Crusade and thus faced the brunt of the entire attack...
had a palace here. In 1220 Byzantine rule ended for the last time and the city was quickly divided into Christian and Muslim sections, the Christian trading communities including Venetians
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and Genoese
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
. Alanya
Alanya
Alanya , formerly Alaiye, is a beach resort city and a component district of Antalya Province in the Mediterranean Region of Turkey, from the city of Antalya. On the southern coast of Turkey, the district has an area of 1,598.51 km2 and 248,286 inhabitants...
also grew and throve during the Seljuk period.
The Ottoman Empire onwards
The area passed through many hands before its final occupation by the Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
under Murad II
Murad II
Murad II Kodja was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1421 to 1451 ....
in 1432. Antalya also was occupied by Kingdom of Cyprus
Kingdom of Cyprus
The Kingdom of Cyprus was a Crusader kingdom on the island of Cyprus in the high and late Middle Ages, between 1192 and 1489. It was ruled by the French House of Lusignan.-History:...
between 1361-1373. Ottoman rule of the coast persisted until the end of the First World War, when Antalya was briefly occupied by Italian troops before becoming part of the Republic of Turkey in 1921.
There are many archaeological sites in the province including three National Parks and three Specially Protected Areas.
Districts and cities
- The coastal districts are; AntalyaAntalyaAntalya is a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. With a population 1,001,318 as of 2010. It is the eighth most populous city in Turkey and country's biggest international sea resort.- History :...
, GazipaşaGazipasaGazipaşa is a town and district of Antalya Province on the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey, 180 km east of the city of Antalya. Gazipaşa is a quiet rural district famous for its bananas, oranges and international airport...
, AlanyaAlanyaAlanya , formerly Alaiye, is a beach resort city and a component district of Antalya Province in the Mediterranean Region of Turkey, from the city of Antalya. On the southern coast of Turkey, the district has an area of 1,598.51 km2 and 248,286 inhabitants...
, ManavgatManavgatManavgat is a town and district of the Antalya Province in Turkey, from the city of Antalya. The Manavgat River has a waterfall near the town.-Geography:...
, SerikSerikSerik is a town and district in Antalya Province of Turkey, east of the city of Antalya, along the Mediterranean coast.-Geography:Towards the coast the district is mainly flat farmland, used for growing vegetables, while the inland half of Serik is forested hills and the Taurus Mountains...
, KemerKemerKemer is a seaside resort and district of Antalya Province on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, west of the city of Antalya.Kemer is on the Gulf of Antalya, of sea coast with the skirts of the western Taurus mountains behind. The coast has the typical Mediterranean hot, dry weather and warm sea...
, KumlucaKumlucaKumluca is a town and district of Antalya Province on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, part of the Turkish Riviera. Kumluca is located west of the city of Antalya, on the Teke Peninsula,...
, FinikeFinikeFinike, the ancient Phoenicus , is a district on the Mediterranean coast of Antalya Province of Turkey, 90 minutes west of the city of Antalya.Finike is located in the south of the Teke peninsula, and the coast here is a popular tourist destination...
, Kale and KaşKasKas is the brand name of soft drink produced by PepsiCo. It comes in grapefruit, orange , lemon , bitter , and apple flavors. Kasfruit juices are also offered in multiple flavors...
. - The inland districts are high in the Taurus Mountains, at elevations approx 900–1000 m above sea level. These are; GündoğmuşGündogmusGündoğmuş is a town and remote district of Antalya Province in the Mediterranean region of Turkey, 182 km from the city of Antalya, off the road from Akseki to Manavgat....
, AksekiAksekiAkseki is a town and district of Antalya Province in the Mediterranean region of Turkey. According to 2010 census, population of the district is 15,912 of which 3,441 live in the town of Akseki....
, İbradıIbradiİbradı is a district of Antalya Province of Turkey.İbradı is a high plain in the Taurus Mountains. In summer the weather is dry and cooler than the nearby Mediterranean coast with a daytime temperature of 30 degrees C and 10 degrees C at night. The mountains are covered with forests of juniper,...
, KorkuteliKorkuteliKorkuteli is a district of Antalya Province in the Mediterranean region of Turkey, north-west of the city of Antalya. In ancient times it was called Isionda, Isindos, Pisinda, or Sinda.-Etymology:...
and ElmalıElmaliElmalı is a town and district in Antalya Province, the Mediterranean region of Turkey. It lies about inland, near the town of Korkuteli and west of the city of Antalya...
.
Geography
Antalya province is situated in south-west AnatoliaAnatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
, between the longitudes 29°20'-32°35'East and latitudes 36°07'-37°29'North. The province covers an area of %26 (20591 sq m) of Turkey. The southern border of the province is the Mediterranean sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
while the Taurus mountains
Taurus Mountains
Taurus Mountains are a mountain complex in southern Turkey, dividing the Mediterranean coastal region of southern Turkey from the central Anatolian Plateau. The system extends along a curve from Lake Eğirdir in the west to the upper reaches of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in the east...
draw the land border. From west to east the province is bordered by Muğla
Mugla Province
Muğla Province is a province of Turkey, at the country's south-western corner, on the Aegean Sea. Its seat is Muğla, about inland, while some of Turkey's largest holiday resorts, such as Bodrum, Ölüdeniz, Marmaris and Fethiye, are on the coast in Muğla....
, Burdur
Burdur Province
Burdur Province is a province of Turkey, located in the southwest and bordering Muğla and Antalya to the South, Denizli to the West, Afyon to the North, and Isparta to the East...
, Isparta
Isparta Province
Isparta Province is a province in southwestern Turkey. Its adjacent provinces are Afyon to the northwest, Burdur to the southwest, Antalya to the south, and Konya to the east. It has an area of 8,993 km² and a population of 448,298 up from 434,771...
, Konya
Konya Province
Konya Province is a province of Turkey located in central Anatolia. The provincial capital is the city of Konya. It is the largest province by area of Turkey.-Districts:...
and İçel provinces. The land of the province is 77.8% mountainous, 10.2% plain and 12% uneven. Many of the peaks of the Taurus mountains are above 500–3000 metres. The Teke peninsula (corresponds to ancient Lycia
Lycia
Lycia Lycian: Trm̃mis; ) was a region in Anatolia in what are now the provinces of Antalya and Muğla on the southern coast of Turkey. It was a federation of ancient cities in the region and later a province of the Roman Empire...
) in the west includes wide plateaus and river basins. Climate, agriculture, demographics and habitation patterns differ greatly between the inland mountain areas and the coastal plain.
Demographics
The population of Antalya province is 1.978.333. Antalya is the fifth province of Turkey with high foreigner resident population which is 6,343. [need a table with yrs VS population]Places of interest
Saklikent
Saklıkent is a winter resort in Turkey, 45 kilometres from Antalya and 60 kilometres from Antalya Airport. It is open for skiing from November to May. Because of its proximity to Antalya, one can ski and then one hour later swim in the Mediterranean Sea....
ski and recreation centre on Beydağları. Here one can ski and then go down to the shore and into the sea during the months of January–April. In Saklıkent there are two teleski and ski courses along with villas and accommodation facilities available in the area. Situated on Bakırlı Hill behind Saklıkent is the Antalya National Space Observatory. It is possible to watch meteor showers and shooting stars on certain days of the year. In rivers rafting and canoeing sports and on the Taurus mountains jeep safari, hunting and trekking tours are organised. Alternatively, there is rock-climbing, bird watching tourism, photo-safari, mountain tourism, line fishing and health tourism at the thalasso and dialysis centres in Geyikbayırı. Holy tourism activities are organized in Myra
Myra
Myra is an ancient town in Lycia, where the small town of Kale is situated today in present day Antalya Province of Turkey. It was located on the river Myros , in the fertile alluvial plain between Alaca Dağ, the Massikytos range and the Aegean Sea.- Historical evidence :Although some scholars...
and Patara where St Nicholas was born and lived. The eternal flames of Chimaera that was the inspiration for the Chimera myth
Chimera (mythology)
The Chimera or Chimaera was, according to Greek mythology, a monstrous fire-breathing female creature of Lycia in Asia Minor, composed of the parts of multiple animals: upon the body of a lioness with a tail that ended in a snake's head, the head of a goat arose on her back at the center of her...
is also located in Antalya. In the area of Belek
Belek
Belek is a township with own municipality in Serik district in Turkey's Antalya Province. The local population varies between 750 and 10,000 in low and high season, respectively....
, 30 km (19 mi). east of Antalya, there is a big potential for golf tourism with the bonus of the cultural, historical and natural sightseeing of the region. There are five golf facilities already operating in Belek. There are underwater diving centres on the coast, primarily in Kemer
Kemer
Kemer is a seaside resort and district of Antalya Province on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, west of the city of Antalya.Kemer is on the Gulf of Antalya, of sea coast with the skirts of the western Taurus mountains behind. The coast has the typical Mediterranean hot, dry weather and warm sea...
, Çamyuva
Çamyuva
Çamyuva is a small town in Turkey, to the south of Kemer. Formerly a village without a municipal administration, it was recently merged with the neighbouring village of Kiriş and the official name for the two agglomerations, as well as the name of the constituted municipality, is Çamyuva...
, Olympos, Adrasan, Kaş
Kas
Kas is the brand name of soft drink produced by PepsiCo. It comes in grapefruit, orange , lemon , bitter , and apple flavors. Kasfruit juices are also offered in multiple flavors...
, Kalkan
Kalkan
Kalkan is a town on the Turkish Mediterranean coast, and an important tourist destination. The area includes many historical sites and many fine beaches ....
, Üçağız, Kekova
Kekova
Kekova, also named Caravola , is a small Turkish island near Kaş district of Antalya province which faces the villages of Kaleköy and Üçağız...
, Side
Side
Side was an ancient Greek city in Anatolia, in the region of Pamphylia, in what is now Antalya province, on the southern Mediterranean coast of Turkey...
and Alanya
Alanya
Alanya , formerly Alaiye, is a beach resort city and a component district of Antalya Province in the Mediterranean Region of Turkey, from the city of Antalya. On the southern coast of Turkey, the district has an area of 1,598.51 km2 and 248,286 inhabitants...
. In addition, yacht tours are organized from the port of Antalya to Düden Waterfall-Karpuzkaldıran and Kemer, from Side to Alanya, from Demre
Demre
Demre is a town and a district of Antalya Province on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, named after the river Demre.Demre is the Lycian town of Myra, the home of Saint Nicholas of Myra, the original Santa Claus. The district was known as Kale until it was renamed in 2005...
-Çayağzı to Kekova, from Kaş to Kekova, from Kemer to Çıralı
Çirali
Çıralı is an agricultural village in the southwest of Turkey in Antalya Province. It is close to the ancient ruins of Olympos and Chimaera permanent gas vents....
-Olympos-Adrasan and Cape Gelidonya
Cape Gelidonya
Cape Gelidonya near Finike, Turkey is the site of a late Bronze Age wreck . In view of the cargo's nature and composition the excavators have proposed a possible levantine provenance. The remains of the ship sat at a depth of about 27 m, on irregular rocky bottom. It was located in 1954, and the...
. There are also boat tours on Manavgat
Manavgat
Manavgat is a town and district of the Antalya Province in Turkey, from the city of Antalya. The Manavgat River has a waterfall near the town.-Geography:...
creek and canoe tours on Xanthos
Xanthos
Xanthos was the name of a city in ancient Lycia, the site of present day Kınık, Antalya Province, Turkey, and of the river on which the city is situated...
creek. In addition, Blue Cruise
Blue Cruise
A Blue Cruise, also known as a Blue Voyage , is a term used for recreational voyages along the Turkish Riviera, on Turkey's southwestern coast...
, which covers the southwestern Anatolian coast, ends in Antalya. There are ferryboat trips from Alanya to Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
and from Antalya to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Antalya today is a world tourism centre with its unique touristic accommodation facilities, nature and historical beauties.
Ancient cities and ruins
There are sites of historical and archaeological interest all over Antalya including- The PisidiaPisidiaPisidia was a region of ancient Asia Minor located north of Lycia, and bordering Caria, Lydia, Phrygia and Pamphylia. It corresponds roughly to the modern-day province of Antalya in Turkey...
n city of AriassosAriassosAriassos was a Pisidian city built at a height of 1050 meters in the Taurus Mountains .Ariassos is 48 km from Antalya along the Antalya-Burdur highway and before arriving at the village Dag, turn left and Ariassos is 1 km. further on. Ariassos was built in a valley and could survey its...
22 km (14 mi). along the Antalya-BurdurBurdurBurdur , is a city southwestern Turkey and the seat of the Burdur Province of Turkey. It is located at , on the shore of Lake Burdur...
highway. - In the district of KumlucaKumlucaKumluca is a town and district of Antalya Province on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, part of the Turkish Riviera. Kumluca is located west of the city of Antalya, on the Teke Peninsula,...
: Acaliasos, Cormus, Gagae, Idebessos, and the ancient Lycian city of Olympos, - In the district of KaleDemreDemre is a town and a district of Antalya Province on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, named after the river Demre.Demre is the Lycian town of Myra, the home of Saint Nicholas of Myra, the original Santa Claus. The district was known as Kale until it was renamed in 2005...
: Andriake, Antiphellos, Apallai, MyraMyraMyra is an ancient town in Lycia, where the small town of Kale is situated today in present day Antalya Province of Turkey. It was located on the river Myros , in the fertile alluvial plain between Alaca Dağ, the Massikytos range and the Aegean Sea.- Historical evidence :Although some scholars...
, Phellos, SureSure"Sure" was the fifteenth single by the Japanese j-pop group Every Little Thing, released on February 16, 2000. It was used as the drama Virtual Girl's theme song.-Chart positions:-External links:* information at Avex Network.* information at Oricon.... - In the district of Üçağız: ApolloniaSozopolis, PisidiaSozopolis in Pisidia, called Apollonia during Seleucid times, was an ancient town in the region of Pisidia, now in the Asian part of Turkey. It is not to be confused with the Thracian Sozopolis in present-day Bulgaria....
, Hysa, Ilysa, Istloda, Teimiusa - In the district of FinikeFinikeFinike, the ancient Phoenicus , is a district on the Mediterranean coast of Antalya Province of Turkey, 90 minutes west of the city of Antalya.Finike is located in the south of the Teke peninsula, and the coast here is a popular tourist destination...
: ArycandaArycandaArykanda is an ancient Lycian city, built upon five large terraces ascending a mountain slope, located near the small village of Aykiriçay, on the Elmalı-Finike road in Antalya province in south western Turkey.-History:...
, LimyraLimyraLimyra was a small city in Lycia on the southern coast of Asia Minor, on the Limyrus River, and twenty stadia from the mouth of that river.It is mentioned by Strabo , Ptolemy and several Latin authors...
, MelanippeMelanippeIn Greek mythology, Melanippe referred to several different people.* Daughter of the Centaur Chiron. Also known as Hippe or Euippe. She bore a daughter to Aeolus, Melanippe or Arne...
, Trebema, and Lycian rock graves - In the district of KemerKemerKemer is a seaside resort and district of Antalya Province on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, west of the city of Antalya.Kemer is on the Gulf of Antalya, of sea coast with the skirts of the western Taurus mountains behind. The coast has the typical Mediterranean hot, dry weather and warm sea...
, (southwest of Antalya): Idyros, and the LyciaLyciaLycia Lycian: Trm̃mis; ) was a region in Anatolia in what are now the provinces of Antalya and Muğla on the southern coast of Turkey. It was a federation of ancient cities in the region and later a province of the Roman Empire...
n city of PhaselisPhaselisPhaselis is an ancient Lycian city in the province of Antalya in Turkey. It is located between the Bey Mountains and the forests of Olympos National Park, 16 km west of the touristic town of Kemer and on the 57th kilometre of the Antalya–Kumluca highway... - In SideSideSide was an ancient Greek city in Anatolia, in the region of Pamphylia, in what is now Antalya province, on the southern Mediterranean coast of Turkey...
; the town itself, Seleucia (Pamphylia)Seleucia (Pamphylia)Seleucia – also transliterated as Seleukeia or Seleukheia – was an ancient city on the Mediterranean coast of Pamphylia, in Anatolia, approximately 15 km northeast of Side; the site is currently about 1k north of the village of Bucakşeyhler , approximately 12 km northeast of...
, and a temple of Athena. - The church of Saint NicholasSaint NicholasSaint Nicholas , also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra . Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker...
in DemreDemreDemre is a town and a district of Antalya Province on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, named after the river Demre.Demre is the Lycian town of Myra, the home of Saint Nicholas of Myra, the original Santa Claus. The district was known as Kale until it was renamed in 2005... - The caves of Beldibi, Damlataş and Karain
- Hadrian's GateHadrian's GateThe Hadrian's Gate, or Hadrianus Gate, or Üçkapılar is a triumphal arch which was built in the name of the Roman emperor Hadrian, who visited Antalya in the year 130. It has three arched gates...
, the Roman fortification and the clock tower in the city of AntalyaAntalyaAntalya is a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. With a population 1,001,318 as of 2010. It is the eighth most populous city in Turkey and country's biggest international sea resort.- History :...
itself. Also near the city the Pamphilian city of AspendosAspendosAspendos or Aspendus was an ancient Greco-Roman city in Antalya province of Turkey. It is located northeast of central Serik.- History :...
, Perge (on two hills, once the capital of PamphyliaPamphyliaIn ancient geography, Pamphylia was the region in the south of Asia Minor, between Lycia and Cilicia, extending from the Mediterranean to Mount Taurus . It was bounded on the north by Pisidia and was therefore a country of small extent, having a coast-line of only about 75 miles with a breadth of...
) and the Pisidian city of TermessosTermessosTermessos or Thermessos was a Pisidian city built at an altitude of more than 1000 meters at the south-west side of the mountain Solymos in the Taurus Mountains . It lies 30 kilometres to the north-west of Antalya...
, high in the mountains 35 km (22 mi) northwest of Antalya. - Karaburun and Seyamük in ElmalıElmaliElmalı is a town and district in Antalya Province, the Mediterranean region of Turkey. It lies about inland, near the town of Korkuteli and west of the city of Antalya...
- Kyneai in KaşKasKas is the brand name of soft drink produced by PepsiCo. It comes in grapefruit, orange , lemon , bitter , and apple flavors. Kasfruit juices are also offered in multiple flavors...
- PoğlaPoglaPogla is a Catholic titular see. The original diocese was in Pamphylia Secunda.Money was coined with the pagan pogleon.. The city was known also as ta pogla....
in KorkuteliKorkuteliKorkuteli is a district of Antalya Province in the Mediterranean region of Turkey, north-west of the city of Antalya. In ancient times it was called Isionda, Isindos, Pisinda, or Sinda.-Etymology:... - Silliyon (the town of SerikSerikSerik is a town and district in Antalya Province of Turkey, east of the city of Antalya, along the Mediterranean coast.-Geography:Towards the coast the district is mainly flat farmland, used for growing vegetables, while the inland half of Serik is forested hills and the Taurus Mountains...
), dates back to 4th century BC. - Simena in KekovaKekovaKekova, also named Caravola , is a small Turkish island near Kaş district of Antalya province which faces the villages of Kaleköy and Üçağız...
- TlosTlosTlos is known to have been one of the most important religious centers of the Lycian region in Antalya province of Turkey.It is known as the city where mythological hero Bellerophon and his winged flying horse Pegasus lived. Determined as the oldest city of Lycian Region by the archaeological...
- The ancient Lycian city of Xanthos (Kınık)XanthosXanthos was the name of a city in ancient Lycia, the site of present day Kınık, Antalya Province, Turkey, and of the river on which the city is situated...
National parks
- Koprulu National Park
- Termessos National ParkTermessosTermessos or Thermessos was a Pisidian city built at an altitude of more than 1000 meters at the south-west side of the mountain Solymos in the Taurus Mountains . It lies 30 kilometres to the north-west of Antalya...
- Olympos National Park
Sites of natural beauty
- Manavgat WaterfallManavgat WaterfallManavgat Waterfall on the Manavgat River is near the city of Side, north of Manavgat, Turkey. Its high flow over a wide area as it falls from a low height is best viewed from a high altitude....
- Kursunlu WaterfallKursunlu WaterfallThe Kurşunlu Waterfall is located 19 km from Antalya, Turkey at the end of a 7 km road branching off to the north of the Antalya-Serik-Alanya highway at a point 12 km from Antalya...
- Duden Waterfall
- Oymapinar DamOymapinar DamOymapinar Dam is an arch dam built on the Manavgat river in Turkey in 1984. It is an arch dam in design, 185 m in height, built to generate hydroelectric power.Oymapınar Dam is located 12 km north of Manavgat Waterfall...
- Köprülü CanyonKöprülü CanyonKöprülü Canyon is a canyon and a National Park in the Province of Antalya, Turkey. Covering an area of , it was established as a national park by the Ministry of Forest on December 12, 1973....
- Saklıkent CanyonSaklikent CanyonSaklıkent Canyon, located in the continent of Asia, is the second largest canyon in Europe, were Turkey actually in Europe. It is located in Muğla province in Turkey, 50 km from the city of Fethiye. The Canyon is 300 meters deep and 18 km long, resulting from the abrasion of the rocks by flowing...
- Düzler pine forest
- Saklikent Ski ResortSaklikentSaklıkent is a winter resort in Turkey, 45 kilometres from Antalya and 60 kilometres from Antalya Airport. It is open for skiing from November to May. Because of its proximity to Antalya, one can ski and then one hour later swim in the Mediterranean Sea....
- ChimaeraChimaera (geography)Mount Chimaera was a place or places in ancient Lycia, notable for volcanic phenomena and said by some ancient sources to be the origin of the myth of the Chimera.Ctesias is the oldest traceable author to offer this euhemerizing theory...