31/05/2022
The magnificent Red Tower, the symbol of Alanya, is located at the base of the historic Alanya castle, in the bustling harbour.
One of the unique examples of the medieval Mediterranean defence structures from 13th century, the Red Tower was built at order of Alaeddin Keyqubad I, the Seljuk ruler, by Ebu Ali Reha el Kettani who was a master builder from Aleppo in order to protect the harbor, shipyard and Alanya Castle against attacks from the sea.
The Red Tower, just as today, has attracted the attention many, since it was built, with its monumental view and has been the subjected of many books. Evliya Celebi, a 17th century traveller, stated “there is a solid octagonal tower at sea side of the Castle of Alanya, this tower can hold two thousand (2000) men during a siege and the second gateman who lives here has forty (40) soldiers”.
Due to the tower being built on a sloping bedrock, it is 33 m high on the east side but is 3 m shorter on the west side. The lower main walls are built from uniformly cut rectangular limestone, and the classic shafts and upper sections were built using red bricks.
10 m up from the ground on the north wall of the tower there is a 4-line inscription, written on behalf of Alaeddin Keyqubad, which reads “Gratitude to Allah” and confirms the date of construction as April 1226.
With its octagonal plan, the Red Tower has a complex interior plan, contrary to its simple exterior appearance. It has a total of five floors, these are the ground and first floors, entresol, open floor and open terrace.
Contradictory to its monumental appearance, probably for military purposes, the ground floor can be only be reached through a small and simple entrance with a narrow corridor.
Today the Red Tower is a museum open to the public, displaying Alanya’s rich history, which attracts thousands of visitors each year.
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