History and Defense Purpose
As one of the unique examples of Seljuk art, the Red Tower stands as the symbol of Alanya. The structure was built as a defense and observation structure to protect the trading port and prevent attacks coming from land toward the castle.
According to the inscription on the northern facade, the structure was built in 1226 by the architect Ebu Ali of Aleppo upon the order of Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat. The inscription on the southern facade praises Alaeddin Keykubat with titles such as ruler of nations and sultan of the world’s sultans.
Architectural Structure and Floor Plans
The structure has an octagonal plan, measuring 29 meters in diameter and 33 meters in height, constructed using stone and brick materials. Although it has a plain appearance from the outside, it features a quite complex five-story plan on the inside, with each floor having a different layout.
Above the central octagonal pier, a cistern spans the height of the first floor. On the ground and first floors, there are iwan-shaped spaces opening into vaulted corridors. On the second floor above the mezzanine, there is an open-air courtyard; on the third floor, small rooms and terraces; and on the fourth floor, defensive battlements and a walking terrace.
Museum and Surrounding Scenery
Sources from the Antalya Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism and the Alanya Promotional Booklet state that the Red Tower is used as an Ethnography Museum, with its entrance and first floors arranged as a museum, and that cultural and art events such as painting exhibitions and classical music concerts are occasionally held in the historical structure.
Official sources note that from the top floor of the tower, visitors can view the scenery of the city’s eastern side and the settlement texture of the historical peninsula.