Alanya
District
Castle and harbour of Alanya
Seal  DELUXE RESIDENCE
Nicknames: Güneşin gülümsediği yer (“Where the Sun Smiles”)
Alanya Location of Alanya Show map of TurkeyShow map of AsiaShow map of MediterraneanShow all
Coordinates: 36°33′N 32°00′E
Country	Turkey
Region	Mediterranean
Province	Antalya
Incorporated	1872
Government
• Mayor	Adem Murat Yücel (MHP)
• Governor	Dr. Fatih Ürkmezer[1]
Area [2]
• District	1,598.51 km2 (617.19 sq mi)
Elevation	0–250 m (0–820 ft)
Population  (2012)[3]
• Urban	104,573
• District	264,692
• District density	170/km2 (430/sq mi)
Demonym	Alanyalılar
Time zone	UTC+3 (TRT)
Postal code	07400
Area code	+90 242
Licence plate	07
Website	alanya.bel.tr alanya.gov.tr

Alanya (/əˈlɑːnjə/ (listen); Turkish pronunciation: [aˈɫanja]), formerly Alaiye, is a beach resort city and a district of Antalya Province on the southern coast of Turkey, in the country’s Mediterranean Region, 133 kilometres (83 mi) east of the city of Antalya. As of Turkey’s 2010 census, the city had a population of 98,627, while the district that includes the city and its built-up region had an area of 1,598.51 km² and 248,286 inhabitants.^[4]

Because of its natural strategic position on a small peninsula into the Mediterranean Sea below the Taurus Mountains, Alanya has been a local stronghold for many Mediterranean-based empires, including the Ptolemaic, Seleucid, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires. Alanya’s greatest political importance came in the Middle Ages, with the Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm under the rule of Alaeddin Kayqubad I, from whom the city derives its name. His building campaign resulted in many of the city’s landmarks, such as the Kızıl Kule (Red Tower), Tersane (Shipyard), and Alanya Castle.

The Mediterranean climate, natural attractions, and historic heritage make Alanya a popular destination for tourism, and responsible for nine percent of Turkey’s tourism sector and thirty percent of foreign purchases of real estate in Turkey. Tourism has risen since 1958 to become the dominant industry in the city, resulting in a corresponding increase in city population. Warm-weather sporting events and cultural festivals take place annually in Alanya. In 2014 Mayor Adem Murat Yücel, of the Nationalist Movement Party unseated Hasan Sipahioğlu, of the Justice and Development Party, who had previously led the city since 1999. Adem Murat Yücel continues his duty as the Mayor of Alanya Municipality.^[5]

Names[edit]The city has changed hands many times over the centuries, and its name has reflected this. Alanya was known in Latin as Coracesium or in Greek as Korakesion (Ancient Greek: Κορακήσιον) from the Luwian Korakassa meaning “point/protruding city”.^[6] The Roman Catholic Church still recognizes the Latin name as a titular see in its hierarchy.^[7] Under the Byzantine Empire it became known as Kalonoros or Kalon Oros, meaning “beautiful/fine mountain” in Greek.^[8] The Seljuks renamed the city Alaiye (علائیه), a derivative of the Sultan Alaeddin Kayqubad I‘s name. In the 13th and 14th centuries, Italian traders called the city Candelore or Cardelloro.^[9] In his 1935 visit, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk finalized the name in the new alphabet as Alanya, changing the ‘i’ and ‘e’ in Alaiye, reportedly because of a misspelled telegram in 1933.^[10][11]