Walls around a peninsula
Alanya Castle was built in 1225 under Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I. Rising above the city on a hilltop, its 6.5-km wall circuit and roughly 140 towers make it one of the largest Seljuk castles in Anatolia.
Historic layers within the walls
The castle walls are far more than a defensive structure — they enclose several historic monuments. The octagonal Red Tower, built in 1226 by Aleppan architect Ebu Ali Reha and one of the city's symbols, stands at the castle's foot to protect the harbor and shipyard. At the summit sits the Süleymaniye Mosque, also from Alaeddin Keykubad I's era and later restored under Suleiman the Magnificent.
On the UNESCO tentative list
Alanya Castle has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since 2000. The view from the walls out over the Mediterranean and Alanya's coast is one of the site's biggest draws for visitors.
Practical visiting information
A castle visit typically takes up half a day and can be combined with the Red Tower and Süleymaniye Mosque. Along the route down from the castle to the coast, Damlataş Cave — discovered by chance in 1948 — is another nearby stop worth adding to the itinerary.