ALANYA – KOREKESION

On the eastern boundary of Antalya and in the very midst of a narrow littoral formed by the Taurus Mountains with an arc away from the shore towards the North, the first settlement unit at an altitude of 250 m and 800 m in length, surrounded by natural beaches on both sides, situated on a peninsula steeply plunging into the sea, later expanded down to the beginning of the eastern littoral. Today, the area considered as one of the foremost centres of Turkish tourism is covered with banana and citrus fruit plantations. It is known that the city was formerly named “Korakassa/Karakassa” meaning “Point/Protruding City” in the Luwian/Etruscan language. It is observed that later this name was adapted to the Hellenic dialect and changed into Korakession. Alaaddin Keykubat, the Turkish Seljuk Sultan, who besieged the Fortress Korekession in 1221, demanded the city folk to surrender the city. However, the number of the Turkish soldiers was only one fifth of the city’s population. The Sultan announced to the city folk that if they did not surrender the city, he would attack the city with an army of 100,000 soldiers and ruin and destroy the city. He also granted some time to the Korekession King and rulers. The night before the last day, Turks gathered before the walls of the fortress in the darkness of night, with torches tied onto the horns of thousands of goats. The Korekession King and rulers of the city, thinking that the Turkish army would attack with substantial force, surrendered the city to the Turks. Thus, Alaaddin Keykubat, the Turkish Sultan, carried out the most interesting bluff in history. According to Hittite inscriptions, the existence of a city named Karkisa is mentioned in the area where today’s city is located and it is thought that the city folk originally came from the area Kawana within the borders of today’s southwestern province of Konya. It has been discovered that the historical trade route which descended from the Central Anatolian region to the Mediterranean by passing from Kawana and southwards along the valley of the creek and ended in Korekession has been in use for thousands of years. During the Persian and Hellenistic eras, one military garrison each was established, as the acropolis was suitable for this, thus it took the form of a military fortress. Because of the lack of control over the Mediterranean during the 2nd century B.C. it was captured by pirates under the command of Diodotos Tryphon, and during this epoch, various structures, primarily including a palace, were built by the pirates on the acropolis fortress and thus, urbanisation started. After the final defeat of the pirates of the Mediterranean by the Romans in 68 B.C. a Roman garrison subordinated to the province of Pamphylia was brought to the fortress. The actual development of the city took place during the Byzantine era and the fortress regained its character of a city; basilicas and chapels of various sizes were built; fortress walls were expanded with a somewhat large new palatial building constructed upon them. During this era name of the city was also changed to Kalonoros meaning “Beautiful Mountain”. The name of the city, which was seized by Turks in 1221, was changed to Alaiye in memory of the Sultan Alaaddin and it was adorned with various structures reflecting Turkish Seljuk architecture. The inner fortress at the highest point of the peninsula is 180 metres long and enclosed with walls. Extending from east to west, these walls were expanded during various epochs, totalling up to 6 km. There are 80 towers and 150 bastions upon the fortress walls. The palace, of which the remains can be seen immediately on the right after the entrance, is thought to have been built of rubble stones, with two storeys. Going northwards from here one notices the remarkable quadrangular Byzantine chapel, 6x6 m in dimension with a single dome set upon four walls and frescoes on the interior. From here one arrives at the quadrangular garrison building, adjacent to the inner wall of the fortress, and the ammunition depot/Arsenal immediately behind. Walking from this section in a westerly direction, one arrives at a sheer cliff over which slaves condemned to death were thrown into the sea. The peninsula descends steeply into the sea in a westerly direction, in the form of a ribbon, forming a small peninsula, 4000 m long. This was called “cilvarda”. On the small peninsula are a watch tower, a work of art dating from the Seljuk era, and a small Byzantine chapel. Other remains visible in the inner fortress are the water cisterns of various sizes used in collecting rain water. To the east of the fortress is the three-storeyed Red Tower, considered as the symbol of Alanya today, built by Turks in 1227 of red dressed stone blocks, measuring 33 m in height and 29 m in diameter, octagonal in structure, with various chambers, refectories and dormitories on the first two floors and a large water cistern on the third floor, in its open courtyard. It is understood that the Red Tower was built to protect the port. Further on from the tower is a quadrangular Shipyard building constructed right next to the sea. The façade of the shipyard building has 5 arches which enable the entry of ships and a width of 60 metres. A quadrangular protection tower has been built at the southern end of the Shipyard building which is understood to have been built during the same period as the Red Tower.

On the western slope of the peninsula, 70 m in from the sea, is Damlataş Cave, 18 metres deep, thought to have formed over 15,000 years according to scientists. Damlataş Cave, which was found at the bottom of a rocky slope on the beach to the west of the Alanya peninsula, was coincidentally uncovered in 1948. Damlataş Cave was geologically formed as a result of tectonic factors within the semi-marble metamorphic limestone belonging to the Alanya massif, displaced from the Taurus mountains through a fault system, the movements of the fault and flexure systems within the white marble, movement of the sea waves, and chemical dissolving by the surface water, which contains large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2). Damlataş Cave consists of a small circular hall comprising stalagmites and stalagtites of magnificent beauty, which form to fill a space with a diameter of 10 m and height of 15 m. Through the 45 m long corridor, which extends towards the cylindrical space, one descends a flight of steps to the beach forming the floor of the cave. People sit on the benches placed on the floor of Damlataş Cave and inhale the air within the cave, which has therapeutic properties, for 4 hours every day. In the section from the entrance up to the cylindrical space, it is possible to encounter stalagmites and stalagtites that have joined together to form large columns. It has been found that the air of the cave with its carbon dioxide, nitrogen and radioactivity content is beneficial to sufferers of asthma and bronchitis. The air inside the cave is at a constant temperature of 22 degrees and is naturally formed of stalagmites and stalagtites. Alaaddin Mosque on the north-eastern slope of the acropolis hill, estimated to have been built during the 16th century, was constructed of stone and red bricks, with three domes resting upon four piled columns. The inner window boards of the mosque present the finest example of wood-carving craftsmanship. To the east of the mosque is Bedesten-Arcade, 35 metres long by 13 metres wide, quadrangular in structure and consisting of 26 chambers and a large depot. The museum, located immediately next to Damlataş Cave, was opened in 1967. The museum has four indoor and one outdoor exhibition hall with the archaeological and ethnographical works of art uncovered in the area on display. The most important work of art is the bronze statue of Herakles. Today Alanya serves world tourism with its magnificent coasts and touristic facilities. Boat tours to the marina and environs of Old Alanya, restaurants and shopping centres and the Phosphoric and Lovers’ Caves, which are sea caves, are attractive to tourists. Moreover, rafting tours are organised around the valley of Dim Creek. In the restaurants located on Dim Creek set up in the river water with tables and gazebos, it is possible to find authentic Turkish dishes and different types of seafood. Jeep-safari tours are organised to the Tablelands of Gedevet and Türbelinas located on the Taurus Mountains. The Tableland of Çayarası is the hunting place of the local people. Cave research report, architectural and electrification application projects were implemented by MTA (Mine Inspection and Search) for Dim Cave between 1986-1989. The cave is located at a distance of approximately 13 km from Alanya in the direction of Gazipaşa. It was formed on a fault running from north-west to south-east, within a Permian old dolomitic, crystallized, semi-marbled limestone and is the dominant formation of the area. The entrance mouth of the cave is at an altitude of 215 m from the sea. The stalagmites and stalagtites of the cave, with their magnificent beauty, have been brought under protection and have a total length of about 350 m. The formation, reminiscent of the sight of a frozen waterfall within the cave, is well worth a visit. Dim cave is presently in a fossilised state, maintaining its character as being one of the most important caves of the Antalya region in terms of biological research.

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Links to
- Wandering in Antalya
- Wandering in Turkey
- the Hitchhiker's guide of the Elftowners
- Where should I visit

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