|
After
meeting up with your private Turkish guide, you will
depart for a half day trip to explore the city of Antalya,
the focal point of the Turkish Mediterranean.
Our first
stop is “Kaleici”,
which means "inner castle" in Turkish. Careful
conversion of old houses into dwellings has subsequently
maintained the original appearance of these fine
buildings. The impressive Roman structure of Hadrian’s
Gate was
built by citizens of Antalya to commemorate the visit of
the Emperor Hadrian in 130 AD. The Gate was made of
marble and originally had two stories. It has three
arched entranceways separated by piers with Corinthian
columns in front of each. The
Yivli Minare (The
Fluted Minaret) which became the symbol of Antalya, is
part of a 13C Seljuk period medrese and mosque complex.
Old City of Antalya;
Antalya was established in the second
century BC by the King of Pergamum Attalos II on the
northern most edge of the Gulf of Pamphylia, at the bay
where todays harbour is situated. The harbour was chosen
because it didn’t accumulate silt and because of the
freshwater resources nearby. The city was encircled with
city walls in the century following its establishment.
There are many gates built along the city walls leading
to the harbour. The most imposing gate was built in the
name of the Roman emperor Hadrian, who visited Antalya
in the 2ndcentury. The gate still stands
today. |
