Attractions

The most outstanding monument in Antalya is Hadrian's Gate (Hadrian Kapisi), halfway between Cumhuriyet Caddesi and 30 Agustos Cad., built in honor of the emperor's visit to the city in A.D. 130. A classic example of a Roman triumphal arch, Hadrian's Gate is the only remaining entrance gate into the ancient city, and a great introduction to the neighborhood of Kaleiçi.

A few steps north following Imaret Sokagi is the Yivli Minare, built by the Selçuk Sultan Alaaeddin Keykubat in the 13th century. The fluted brick minaret stands a commanding 38m (125 ft.) high and has come to be the symbol of the city. The adjacent domed mosque (not the original) is an early example of Anatolian multidomed mosques. A small and charming cluster of souvenir stands has sprouted up in the courtyard and is at least a refreshing break from the relentless touts on the street.

The Clock Tower (Saat Kulesi) in nearby Kalekapisi Square rises above the outer reaches of Kaleiçi at Atatürk Caddesi and was once a part of the old city fortifications.

Past the Clock Tower, following Atatürk Caddesi, is one of the remaining outer towers of the city fortifications, standing over 15m (49 ft.) high. Just past the tower to the left is a gracefully curving building of the former Mevlevihane, in use today as an art gallery (Güzel Sanatlar Gelerisi; no phone; free admission) whose stark and serene interior is worth a quick detour.

At the opposite end of the quarter of Kaleiçi and dominating the edges of the cliff is the 2nd-century Hidirlik Kulesi. Also known as the Red Tower, the Hidirlik Kulesi offers unobstructed panoramas of the sea, suggesting its original use as a lighthouse.

At the bottom of the stone steps leading down from Memerli Sokagi to the harbor is the Iskele Mosque, a simple stone structure set on four pillars over a spring. Unfortunately, the description lends more appeal to the site than the actual thing, because careless visitors have been using the small pool as a garbage dump.

The Kaleiçi Museum, Barbaros Mahallesi Kocatepe Sok. 25, Kaleiçi (tel. 0242/243-4274), takes up two buildings restored between 1993 and 1995: one a former Orthodox church, the other a traditional Turkish house. The house contains an ethnological exhibit, while the former church, built in 1863 in the name of Agios Georgios, contains different cultural and art works from the Suna-Inan Kiraç collection. The museum also sponsors a Research Institute on Mediterranean Civilizations.

Antalya's Festivals -- For 1 week at the beginning of September, Alexander the Great takes a back seat at the ancient theater of Phaselis to make way for Turkish jazz, folk, and classical artists. The website for the Phaselis Festival (tel. 0242/814-5911; www.phaselisfestival.com) is currently in Turkish only, while tickets are available via Biletix (www.biletix.com), at the entrance to the ancient city of Phaselis, and some other pensions and restaurants in the immediate area surrounding the park.