Alanya Castle is a Seljuk-era fortress on the rocky peninsula above Alanya, on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. Walls about 6.5 km long enclose the outer, middle and inner castle, with a mosque, cisterns, a Byzantine church ruin and a traditional house to enter. The grounds climb in levels with decent footpaths, and from the top you look over the city, the sea and the mountains. You can walk the outer grounds for free, ride the cable car up, or pay to enter the inner sections and museum areas.
From Hellenistic walls to the Seljuk fortress
The peninsula is a natural stronghold. The sea protects it on three sides, and settlement here goes back to the Hellenistic period. Its position over a sheltered harbor drew Mediterranean pirates, who used it as a base until the Roman Empire took it over. The Romans expanded it and added buildings.
The castle seen today dates mainly from the 13th century. The Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I took Alanya in the early 1220s and built on the earlier Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine enclosures. Under the Seljuks the city served as a second capital alongside Konya and as the sultan's winter residence. A shipyard was established in the harbor, and it strengthened the state's naval power.
Ottoman rule followed, and each period left traces in the stonework. Parts of the site still carry the marks of several civilizations at once.
How the castle is laid out
The walls run about 6.5 km and enclose roughly ten hectares. The complex has three parts: the outer castle, the middle castle and the inner castle, called İç Kale. The defensive walls also run down through the shipyard and connect to the Red Tower near the water.
Inside the walls are the Süleymaniye Mosque, a Seljuk bath, tombs, a bedesten and an arasta (the old market structures), a palace of Alaeddin Keykubad's time, cisterns, a lighthouse and a dungeon. The Aya Yorgi church also stands within the site. At the very top, the İç Kale holds the ruins of several cisterns, the shell of a small Byzantine church from the 11th century, and a platform over a sheer drop to the sea. Many of the ruins are only partly preserved, so signs and your own map reading help.
A local story says prisoners were once offered freedom if they could throw a stone from the castle into the sea. Nobody is said to have managed it.
Getting up and what costs money
There are three ways up: the cable car, a car, or on foot through the steep streets of the old district. The cable car is paid, and a line leaves from the Damlataş side. It reaches the back of the inner castle, a part where local people still live. Driving is easier than walking the whole climb, though the road is steep. Walkers can come back down the many steps.
The outer walls and grounds work as an open-air museum, and you can stroll them without paying. Roads and paths are built so you can see much of the site this way. Some inner sections, including the Ehmedek fortress and certain museum areas, charge an entrance fee. A traditional house on the site can be entered free of charge.
Parking near the entrance is paid. Free lots lie a little lower down the road.
At the top
Once you are up, the site is more than ruins. Cafés, restaurants and small shops sell food, drinks, ice cream and souvenirs, with views over the city, sea and mountains. Prices are higher than elsewhere in Alanya, so many visitors bring their own water and snacks.
The Süleymaniye Mosque and old graves sit among the paths. Dress modestly and keep your voice low near them. Informative signs explain the history as you go, and almost every turn gives a new angle for photographs. The walls are lit in the evening, and the sunset view from the summit is a popular reason to come late in the day.
Häufige Fragen
Is Alanya Castle free to enter?
The outer walls and grounds are free to walk. The inner sections, such as the Ehmedek fortress and some museum areas, charge an entrance fee.
How do you get to the top of Alanya Castle?
You can take the paid cable car, drive, or walk up through the steep streets of the old district. Driving avoids the long climb, as the road is steep.
Where can you park near Alanya Castle?
There is paid parking near the entrance. Free lots are available a little further down the road.
How long do you need at Alanya Castle?
Allow one to three hours. A walk around the grounds alone is shorter, and a longer visit adds the paid sections, a meal or the sunset view.
When is the best time to visit Alanya Castle?
Late afternoon is popular, because the sunset view over the city and sea is one of the highlights. Weekdays are quieter than weekends.
