THE CITY FOR SUN AND HOLIDAYS – ANTALYA

Antalya is one of the oldest settled areas in Anatolia. Just 25 km northwest of Antalya’s city center, nestled in the limestone slopes of Mount Şam, lies Karain Cave, once home to a community of 80 people, with evidence of habitation dating back to the Paleolithic era. The cave has been explored since 1946 by Professor Ismail Kılıç Kökten of Ankara University. Artifacts from the cave are exhibited in a small museum at the foot of the mountain, in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara, and in the prehistoric hall of the Antalya Museum.

From 1400 BC until the fall of the empire, the region was under Hittite influence. From the 11th to the 8th century BC, the Lycians and then the Persians ruled the area of ​​present-day Antalya.

On his way to Persia and India, Alexander the Great broke Persian dominance over Anatolia in the 4th century BC. The period between his death and the arrival of the Romans is known as the Hellenistic era. The Kingdom of Pergamon is considered the cultural representative of this period in Asia Minor. In 158 BC, King Attalus II of Pergamon had a small harbor built and founded the settlement above it that is now called Attaleia or Antalya, after Attalus.

After the death of King Attalus, the city was incorporated into the Roman Empire and gained wealth and importance under Roman rule. Protected from the sea by cliffs, Attaleia was fortified with a strong wall on its landward side, which Emperor Hadrian later had expanded. A triumphal arch on the edge of the old town commemorates the emperor’s visit in 130 AD.

The Byzantines defended the city against Arab raids in the 7th and 8th centuries. In 1207, the Seljuks under Sultan Keyhüsrev I conquered the region. Numerous buildings in the city still bear witness to this era. In the 14th century, the traveler Ibn Battuta described Antalya as one of the “most beautiful cities in the world.”

Under the Ottomans, who took over the city in the 14th century, Antalya remained an Ottoman port, but trade decreased and the city lost importance.

Antalya: Sand, sun, shopping and culture. Enjoy this sunny metropolis and its historical heritage as part of your treatment.

In the Treaty of Sèvres, Antalya was awarded to Italy and on July 5, 1921, became part of the young Turkish Republic. Initially, its economic foundation was based on agriculture and fishing; today, Antalya is the most important tourist center in Turkey and the eastern Mediterranean.

West of Antalya, the first significant confederation in history, the Lycian League, was formed. Member states received one, two, or three votes according to their size and importance. The Lycians settled between Antalya and Fethiye and in the mountains above the coast. In the Iliad, Homer describes the Lycians, along with the Carians, as allies of the Trojans during the Trojan War.

East of Antalya stretched Pamphylia, the “land of all tribes.” Due to its landscape of steep mountains and few plains, this region long attracted pirates. These pirates not only attacked merchant ships but also conquered and occupied cities from time to time.

Many buildings from the early Christian era testify to the fact that Christianity originated here. The region’s museums house artifacts from pre-Christian, Christian, and Islamic times. Saint Nicholas, known and revered throughout the world, came from the Antalya region. Legends, myths, and memories of its rich history are ever-present here.

Many buildings from the early Christian era testify to the fact that Christianity originated here. The region’s museums house artifacts from pre-Christian, Christian, and Islamic times. Saint Nicholas, known and revered throughout the world, came from the Antalya region. Legends, myths, and memories of its rich history are ever-present here.

Swisslasik.ch wishes you a wonderful holiday in Antalya.

Antalya Old Town Bay