Alanya

The city was founded in the 4th century. p.n.e. jako Coracesium, on the border of Pamphylia to the west and Cilicia to the east. For a long time it was a center of little importance in this part of the Mediterranean Sea. Pirates often set up their bases here, operating on the coasts of Cilicia and Pamphylia. At the beginning of the 2nd c. p.n.e. the city repelled Antiochus III, the ruler of Syria. A little later, one of the corsair chiefs (a certain Diodorus Tryphon) he has become powerful enough, that he dreamed of the Syrian throne, but King Antiochus VII knocked it out of his head. The desire to take the Syrian throne was born on the basis of an assessment of the then situation of the Seleucid state, which was in decline. In any case, Coracesium has ceased to be the habitat of various types of marauders in the form of pirates or other robbers in 2. half. I w. p.n.e. Then, first in 78 r. p.n.e. dealt with ruling the coasts of eastern Lycia Zeniketes (oblegano go w Olympus), and then the Roman commander Gnaeus Pompey during a special expedition in 67 r. p.n.e. he had cleared the seas of Cilicia and Pamphylia completely from unwanted privateers. It is said that the largest naval battle of this campaign took place in the vicinity of Coracesium and reportedly over 10 thousand. pirates. Marcus Antony handed over the city to Cleopatra, which was to cut down the surrounding cedar forests and export wood to Egypt, to build a fleet there.

Nothing is known about the history of the city in Byzantine times apart from this, that it was called Kalonoros, and in Latin, Scandelore. W 1191 r., during the Third Crusade, Ryszard the Lionheart and Philip II stayed here on his way to the east, as mentioned by the chroniclers of the expedition. According to them, Kalonoros was located on the Byzantine border of Pamphylia and already Armenian Cilicia. At that time, the city belonged to the Byzantine Empire, but after a few years it was already Armenia. Soon the rulers of this country enjoyed the possession of Kalonoros, because in 1221 r. they had to surrender to the Seljuk Turks of the Rum Sultanate led by Alaeddin Keykobad I (1219 – 37). He built a magnificent fortress on the headland (earlier, there were slight fortifications here) and the shipyard, and he named the city after him – Alaiye, making them their home for the winter time (he was too cold in the capital of Konya at this time of year). At the beginning of the 14th century, with the fall of the Rum sultanate, the city came under the rule of the Turkmen from the Karaman principality. The Karamanu Emirs kept Alaiya until the end of the 15th century., that is, until the arrival of the Ottomans under the command of the Grand Vizier Ahmed Pasa, serving Mehmed the Conqueror. Some say, that even then the city was called Alanya, to drink, that only from the time of Ataturk.

Accommodation

Most of the hotels for individual tourists are concentrated around Iskele Cad. i Damaltas Cad. You can find here both the more luxurious, and relatively cheap. Worth knowing, that in such a commercial center as Alanya we will not encounter hotels of the "for undemanding" category”.

Gastronomy

Plenty of venues are clustered in the shopping district north and northwest of Iskele Cad. Everybody will find something for themselves, and the frugal should look for eateries in Damlatas Cad. You can also choose to self-catering, because in Alanya there are restaurants or even locals (and there are few real ones) they are just expensive. At Iskele Cad. there are two cheaper grocery stores, and at Ataturk Cad. there is a Migros supermarket. On the north side of this street, roughly at the height of Hukiimet Cad., there is a food market.

Bathhouses

A bathhouse set exclusively for tourists is the Grand Alanya Turkish Bath (Damlatas Cad. ), where we will pay for the set 20 USD. It is a modern bathhouse, in which there is little emphasis on tradition. You can also go to Beylerli Hamatni (Hurriyet Square, near the Kuyularon mosque), where does the bath cost 6 USD, a komplet 17 USD.