Antalya's Seljuk Heritage: Mosques, Caravanserais, Madrasas

Yivli Minare, standing at the northern edge of Kaleiçi, is the symbol of the city. According to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List record, the minaret was commissioned by Sultan Alaaddin Keykubad I, and the mosque was constructed in 1230 utilizing the walls of a ruined church. The complex is currently on the Tentative List.

In the same complex, only the monumental portal of the Atabey Armağan Madrasah still stands; according to Küre Encyclopedia, the date on the portal corresponds to 637 AH (1239 AD), and the structure was commissioned by Atabey Armağan during the reign of Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev II. From the nearby Karatay Madrasah, only the monumental portal and several walls remain; the madrasah, built by vizier Celaleddin Karatay, is dated to 1250 in one source and to 1251 in another.

Evdir Han

A Seljuk caravanserai in Döşemealtı, near Yeşilbayır. A history portal attributes the inn to the reign of Izz al-Din Kaykaus I (1210–1219); since this dating cannot be corroborated by other sources, it should not be considered definitive.

Kırkgöz Han

Also located in Döşemealtı, northwest of the city center, this inn is dated in sources to the reign of Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev II (1236/1237–1246). According to sources, it lies about 30 kilometers northwest of the city center. Kırkgöz Lake in the same district is a separate natural site; be careful not to confuse the two.

Alarahan Caravanserai

Located between Alanya and Manavgat along the banks of the Alara Çayı, this inn was built in 1231–1232 by Sultan Alaaddin Keykubad, according to the inscription above its northeastern portal. Alara Castle, located approximately 800 meters from the inn, surrendered in 1231 following Alanya's capture by the Seljuks, according to Wikipedia. Alarahan features a distinctive layout with rooms arranged around a long, narrow courtyard surrounded by stables; sources classify this concentric plan alongside the Eshab-ı Kehf and Mama Hatun inns. The inn was also used as a madrasah during the Ottoman era.

In Alanya, Alanya Castle perched on the peninsula, the octagonal Kızıl Kule (Red Tower) guarding the harbor, and the Alanya Shipyard and Tophane at the foot of the fortress are the primary monuments of this era. A record in the Boğaziçi University archives dates both the Shipyard and Kızıl Kule to 1226, while an encyclopedia entry places the shipyard in 1228. For details, you can consult the Alanya Guide on our site.

Spanning the Alara Çayı in Gündoğmuş, Ali Bridge is one of only two surviving Seljuk bridges out of the four originally built in the region, according to the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, and its construction is attributed to Alaaddin Keykubad.

Meanwhile, the Korkuteli Sultan Alaaddin Mosque and Madrasah in Korkuteli belongs to the Beyliks period that followed the Seljuks. There are two perspectives regarding the founder of the mosque: while the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism links the building to the reign of Alaaddin Bey of the Karamanids, some academic sources associate it with the Hamidids. According to the inscription on the adjacent madrasah, it was commissioned in 719 AH (1319 AD) by Sinaneddin Çalış bin İlyas. The mosque was reopened for worship following restoration by the General Directorate of Foundations.