Antalya

Antalya is one of the largest cities in Turkey and the capital of Antalya Province. It is often called the "capital of tourism" in Turkey and is a key part of the Turkish Riviera. The city lies on the southwest coast of Anatolia, with the Taurus Mountains nearby.

Originally named Attaleia, the city was founded around 200 BC by King Attalus II of Pergamon. It later came under Roman rule, during which many new buildings were built, such as Hadrian's Gate. Over the centuries, Antalya has been ruled by different empires, including the Seljuk Empire and the Ottoman Empire.

Today, Antalya is a major international tourist destination. It is the fourth-most visited city in the world, with millions of visitors each year. The city's beautiful beaches, warm climate, and rich history make it a popular place for people to visit and enjoy.

Etymology

The city was first called "Attaleia," named after its founder Attalos II, who was the king of Pergamon. This name is still used in Greek today. Over time, the name changed in Turkish to Adalia and then to Antalya, which is what we call the city now.

There was also a festival called Attaleia at Delphi and a Greek tribe named Attalis in Athens, but these do not have any connection to the name Anatolia.

History

See also: Antalya Province § History

King Attalus II of Pergamon is thought to have founded the city around 150 BC during the Hellenistic period. It was named Attaleia or Attalia (Ancient Greek: Ἀττάλεια) in his honor and served as a naval base. Excavations in 2008 found remains from the 3rd century BC, showing that Attaleia expanded an earlier town.

Attaleia became part of the Roman Empire in 133 BC when Attalus III left his kingdom to Rome. The city grew during the Ancient Roman times and was part of the Roman province of Pamphylia Secunda. Christianity spread to the area in the 1st century, and Attaleia was visited by Paul of Tarsus and Barnabas.

In later years, Attaleia was an important city in the Byzantine Empire and a key naval and commercial center. After periods of Seljuk and Ottoman rule, the city saw growth in the 20th century, especially with tourism. Today, Antalya is a major city and a popular tourist destination.

Geography

Climate

Antalya has a warm Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. The city gets plenty of sunshine, with almost 3,000 sunny hours each year. While frost can sometimes happen in winter, snow is very rare. The warmest temperature ever recorded there was 45°C, and the coldest was just above freezing. The sea stays warm in summer and cooler in winter.

Demographics

In 2010, the city of Antalya had a population of about 1 million people. By October 2022, around 120,000 people from other countries were living there.

Ethnic and religious groups

For a long time, Antalya was mostly home to Turks. There was also a smaller group of Greeks living there. Other groups like Armenians and Jews were very few. In the 1920s, many Greeks moved away, and they were replaced by Turks from Western Thrace.

Economy

Antalya grows many useful plants, like citrus fruits, cotton, cut flowers, olives, olive oil, and bananas. The city’s big market helps provide fresh fruits and vegetables for the area.

The city is also known for its tourism, with many famous places to visit. In 2022, Antalya welcomed 13.4 million visitors from other countries. Some airlines, like Corendon Airlines, Mavi Gök Airlines, Southwind Airlines, and SunExpress, have their main offices in Antalya. Additionally, shipyards in the area build pleasure yachts.

Cityscape

Antalya has many old buildings from long ago, especially from the time of the Seljuk rulers. You can see mosques, schools, small prayer rooms, places for travelers, Turkish baths, and tombs that give the city its special look. Most of these old buildings are in the walled part of the city called Kaleiçi. This area has narrow, cobblestone streets and old houses from the Ottoman time. It has been fixed up to keep its history, with hotels, bars, restaurants, and shops. Kaleiçi is surrounded by walls shaped like a horseshoe, with one wall along the sea. The old harbor is here too, with streets leading into the old city and wooden houses around.

Antalya also has many places to see from ancient times, like walls, towers, and gates from the Romans and other groups who lived there. There are also churches and mosques from different times. The city has beautiful beaches like Konyaaltı and Lara, and places for winter sports like Beydağları and Saklikent.

Historic sites in the city center

Ancient monuments include the City Walls, Hıdırlık Tower, Hadrian's Gate (also known as Triple Gate), and the Clock Tower.

• Hadrian's Gate: built in the 2nd century by the Romans for Emperor Hadrian.
• İskele Mosque: A mosque from the 1800s near the marina.
• Karatay Medrese: A school built in 1250 by Emir Celaleddin Karatay.
• Kesik Minare Mosque: Once a Roman temple, then a Byzantine church, and now a mosque.
• Tekeli Mehmet Paşa Mosque: An mosque from the 1700s for Tekeli Mehmet Paşa.
• Yat Limanı: the harbor from Roman times.
• Yivli Minare Mosque: Built by the Seljuks with blue and turquoise tiles. This tower is a symbol of the city.
• Murat Pasha Mosque: A historic Ottoman mosque in the city center.
• Aya Yorgi Church (Saint George Church): A church built by the Greeks of Antalya, now a museum.
• Saint Alypius Church: A small Orthodox church that is still used for worship.
• Sultan Aladdin Mosque: Built as a Greek Orthodox church in 1834, it became a mosque in the 1950s.
• Ahi Yusuf Mosque: A mosque from 1249, possibly one of the oldest in Antalya.
• Ahi Kizi Masjid: A small prayer room in the old town.
• Kara Molla Masjid: A tiny prayer room from the 1300s.
• Balibey Mosque: A mosque built by the vizier Bali Pasha.
• Müsellim Mosque: A small mosque built in 1796.
• Antalya Synagogue: A historic place of worship now used as a house.
• Mevlevihane (Dervish lodge museum): A former place for Dervishes, now a museum about their way of life and Sufism.

• Akdeniz Kent Parkı
• Antalya Aquarium
• Arapsu Bridge
• Atatürk Culture Park (formerly named after Hasan Subaşı)
• Düden Waterfalls
• Heart of Antalya
• Karaalioglu Park
• Konyaaltı Beach
• Tünektepe

Green areas, recreation places

Antalya has many parks and natural places where people can relax and enjoy the outdoors. Some of these are around lakes, ponds, and dams, while others are in the hills and forests. The main city parks include Antalya City Forest and Atatürk Park.

The biggest amusement park is Aktur Park. There are also three water parks, beautiful beaches like Konyaaltı and Lara, and a park just for summer fun. In winter, people can ski at Saklıkent.

Natural places to visit include Güllük Mountain National Park, Mount Olympus National Park, Düden and Kurşunlu Waterfalls, Damlataş, Karain Cave, and Guver Cliff. These spots offer picnics, hiking, and other outdoor activities. There are also places to fish and have fun near Doyran pond. Shopping centers like Antalya 5M Migros, Antalya Kipa, Terra City, Deepo, Agora, and Mall of Antalya are also popular spots to visit.

Government

Antalya has been a Metropolitan Municipality since 1993. The mayor of the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality is Muhittin Böcek of the CHP, who has been in office since 2019. For general elections, Antalya elects 17 Members of Parliament to the Turkish Grand National Assembly as of February 2026.

Antalya has traditionally supported the centre-left Republican People's Party (CHP). However, in recent years, it has become a battleground between the CHP and the governing right-wing Justice and Development Party (AKP). The CHP has regained control of the city in recent elections, making it a strong base for the party once again.

Sports

Antalya has an exciting football club called Antalyaspor that plays in the Süper Lig. They play their home games at Antalya Stadium, a big venue that opened in 2015.

The city is also a popular spot for international sports events because of its warm weather. Some of these events include the Archery World Cup, which has held a stage at the Antalya Centennial Archery Field since 2006. Other championships held here include the European Weightlifting Championship in 2012, the European Beach Volleyball Championship in 2003, the European Triathlon Championship in 2013, and the World Kickboxing Championships in 2013.

Since 2010, Antalya has hosted the Lycian Way Ultramarathon, a tough multiday trail running ultramarathon. Runners travel about 220–240 km (140–150 mi) from Ölüdeniz in Fethiye to Antalya over six days.

Education

Akdeniz University has more than 60,000 students and 4,000 teachers and staff. Antalya Science University has over 8,000 students and 300 teachers and staff.

Culture

Cuisine

Antalya has special foods like Piyaz (made with tahini, garlic, walnuts, and boiled beans), şiş köfte (spicy meatballs cooked around a stick), and spicy hibeş with mixed cumin and tahini. You can also try tandır kebap, domates civesi, şakşuka, and cold Mediterranean dishes with olive oil.

Local treats include Bağaça (a spiced tahini pastry), Yanıksı Dondurma (a special burnt-milk ice cream), and tirmis (boiled lupin seeds eaten as a snack). "Grida," also called Lagos or Mediterranean white grouper, is a fish often found in local meals.

Festivals and events

• Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival: a national film festival usually held in September or October.
• Kaleiçi Old Town Festival, organized by Muratpaşa municipality, held in October.
• Sandland, a sand art festival at Lara Beach

Museums

• Antalya Ethnographic Museum: Located in Kaleici, it shows items of Antalya's culture, regional dress, and architecture.
• Antalya Museum: Under reconstruction as of autumn 2025.
• Antalya Toy Museum: Opened by the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality in 2011.
• Atatürk's House Museum
• Various museums in Dokumapark;
  • Bir Zamanlar Antalya Müzesi: Shows artifacts and documents about Antalya's modern urban history.
  • Kepez Vehicle Museum: Displays historical vehicles from modern history.
  • Kepez Open Air Museum: Features scale models of various structures in Turkey. These models were previously in Minicity park in Konyaaltı before the park was demolished in the late 2010s and the models were moved to their current location.
• Mevlevihane Museum: A former dervish lodge with cultural artifacts from Sufi and Islamic traditions.
• Suna & İnan Kıraç Kaleiçi Museum: An ethnographic museum run by the Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation. It opened in 2007 by the Mediterranean Civilizations Research Center.

Transportation

People mainly travel to Antalya by plane or by car. Sea travel is still being developed. In 2007, the airport got a new terminal building. The city has a big port in the south part of Konyaaltı.

There are many buses in the city. Some are called Dolmuşes, which are small buses owned by private people but managed by the city. The city also runs a public bus system called Antalya Ulaşım, which includes services like Antobus and Antray.

A tram system started in 1999. It goes from Antalya Museum through the city center and ends near some hotels. In 2009, a light rail line was added, and it was later extended to reach the airport and other areas.

Antalya is connected to many places by roads. It is the end point of a major European road that goes through several cities in Turkey and also reaches countries like Bulgaria, Romania, and Ukraine. There are also other important roads that connect Antalya to nearby towns.

Antalya Airport has two international terminals and one for domestic flights. In 2020, it had more international passengers than any other airport in Turkey, making it very important for tourism.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Turkey

Antalya has friendly partnerships with many cities around the world. Some of these cities are:

• Austin, United States
• Famagusta, Northern Cyprus
• Haikou, China
• Jeonju, South Korea
• Kazan, Russia
• Kunming, China
• Liwan (Guangzhou), China
• Miami, United States
• Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Nuremberg, Germany
• Omsk, Russia
• Qingdao, China
• Rostov-on-Don, Russia
• Seville, Spain
• Suncheon, South Korea
• Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan
• Ürümqi, China
• Vladimir, Russia
• Xining, China
• Yalta, Ukraine

Notable people

See also: Category:People from Antalya

Antalya has been home to many interesting people over the years. Some of them are Tarık Akıltopu, an architect, historian, poet, and writer, and Cafercan Aksu, a football player. Others include Athenaeus of Attalia, a physician from ancient times, and Michael Attaliates, a lawyer from the Byzantine era.

More recent figures include Deniz Baykal, a former leader of the Republican People's Party, and Yağmur Sarıgül, a musician and composer. There are also entertainers like Musa Uzunlar, an actor, and Burak Yılmaz, another football player.