Antalya was once the region of Anatolia's first settlers who helped shape the Anatolian culture. When King Attalos, the king of Pergamum, first set eyes on Attalia whose fertile soil and sheltered natural harbour stood out, he called it "Paradise on Earth". The region has been a home to the people of Korykos in the early stages of the iron age. The stone age era civilizations of Anatolia used to live in four ancient regions. These four regions were Cilicia, Pamphylia, Psidia and Lycia in this order from east to west. The region has many caves which were inhabited by the native stone age tribes and amongst these caves the Karain Cave is of significant value. The Antalya Region passed into the dominion of the Persians in 546 B.C. . During this period, all of Anatolia was under the rule of the Kingdom of Korykos. This dating system is based on the taxation system which was in use until the arrival of Alexander the Great. The famous Macedonian King Alexander marched to Pamphylia passing through Lycia and he conquered all the cities there except the hard to conquer cities, Sylion and Thermessos. The Hellenistic Period was a time when the different cultures in Antalya blended just like in all the other parts of Anatolia.
Following the Treaty of Apamea in 188 B.C., the Romans left the whole region except Lycia to the Kingdom of Pergamum. Right after this period between 159 B.C. and 138 B.C., King Attalos II founded this city as a paradise on earth and named it Attalia. In 43 A.D. Emperor Claudius declared Lycia a Roman state and in 74 A.D. Emperor Vespasian founded the Lycia-Pamphylia state after expanding the Lycian borders to the east of Pamphylia and Lycia. The governor of the region used to reside in Patara, the capital city of the Lycian Union. From the east to the west the cities of the Antalya Region such as Side, Selge Aspendos, Sylion, Pergamum, Thermessos, Phaselis, Olymppos Arykanda, Limyra, Myra, Kyaneai, Apollonia, Phellos, Patara and Xanthos had their golden era between 1 A.D. - 2 A.D. . When the period of the downfall of the Roman Empire began in the third century A.D., the repercussions hit the Antalya Region as well. Byzantium becoming the capital city of the Eastern Roman Empire after being renamed as Constantinople and Emperor Constantine's adoption of Christianity were clear signs that the glorious days of the Byzantium period were coming to an end with the apparent start of a regression period. The Arab invasions and their acts of pillaging made up the final destressing events of the middle ages causing the inhabitants to abandon their antique cities. Saint Nicholas , the Bishop of Myra, who lived and died here was like a final gift to the people of the region at the beginning of this period.
In 1207 A.D. Giyaseddin Keyhusrev annexed the region to the Seljuk Empire and from then on especially Alanya and Antalya continued their existence as outstanding Turkish cities of the ancient ages. Today the Antalya Region is a tourism hub reflecting the mosaics of nature and different cultures. Antalya has a lot to offer the visitors with its historical and cultural richness which will ensure a satisfactory time spent in this city.
The ancient city of Antalya is protected by two thick walls in the shape of a horseshoe. One of these city walls runs along the shoreline while the other is situated inland. In addition to the city walls, other walls which divided the settlement areas can also be found in the ancient city centre. On the outer walls, turrets were built approximately 50 feet apart. The construction of these walls date back to the ancient times. The Romans laid the foundation of these Hellenistic walls whereas the Seljuks extended and repaired them. In the construction of the walls many stone blocks with antique inscriptions were used and the walls have been very well preserved until the 19th century. Only some remains of these city walls like Hidirlik Tower, Hadrian's Gate and the Clock Tower can be seen today. Nowadays, the ancient city centre and walls surrounded by the sea is called Kaleici. The streets and buildings still carry characteristic marks of the history of Antalya. The characteristic structure of the houses not only reflects the architectural history but also fully reflects the life style, customs and traditions as well as daily lives of the people of the region. The narrow streets in the old city centre slope upwards along the city walls. Some of the most outstanding historical buildings in the ancient city centre of Antalya are the Fluted Minaret, the Keyhusrev Medrese which was a theological school, the Karatay Medrese, the Iskele Mosque and The Tekeli Mahmut Pasa Mosque. The yacht harbour of the ancient city displaying breathtaking views both day and night has been a source of inspiration to many foreign artists, poets and writers.
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