Places to Visit in Elmali

Elmali

Elmali, the old settlement of Antalya, dates back to its rich history in the 5th century BC of the Lycians. and has an impressive history that began in the 4th century.

The history of the region dating back to 2000-3000 BC is still a mystery, but it has been determined by archaeological excavations that the Lycians were an Asian people.

The Lycian region was under the influence of different administrations during the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman periods.

The region, which developed in culture, art and trade, especially during the Seljuk and Ottoman periods, became an important city representing the north of Lycia.  

Archaeological excavations have unearthed many artifacts that have hosted the history of the region and the goddesses.

The history of Elmali gained importance when it came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire.

The district is listed under the names of Kabali, Amelas and Elmali, but the source of these names is not clear.

After the Persian invasion of Greece in the 5th century BC, the Ati-Delos Naval League, which was established under the leadership of the Athens City-State, unearthed the Elmali Coins.

The coins, which were found in illegal excavations in 1984, contain the coins of all the city-states of the period and constitute an important cultural heritage.

Semahoyuk Cube Tombs is an old settlement center that comes after the prehistoric centers of Antalya, Karain and Beldibi.

B.C. It contains remains from the Early Bronze Age, dating from the mid-3rd millennium to the early second millennium.

Archaeological excavations in the region have unearthed historical artifacts such as Kizilbeli Tombs, the Lycian Way, the Statue of a Woman with Ivory Children, and the Silver King Statue.

The Elmali Coins exhibited in the Elmali Treasures Museum make an important contribution to the history of culture.

Places to Visit in Elmali

• Avlan Lake

Avlan Lake, located on the border of Goltarla and Karamik Districts, is located in the 1030 - 1050 meters high area of the Elmali polye.

Located at the lowest point of the region together with Karagol, the lake is a body of water formed in a natural pit and has karst features.

Located at an altitude of 1030 meters above sea level, the lake covers an area of 850 hectares in its natural state.

The waters of the lake, which was decided to be dried in 1970, were discharged into Basgoz Stream through a canal opened between 1975 and 1980.

However, over time, the damage caused by the drying process to the environment was realized and it  was decided to revive the lake as a result of the signatures collected by the villagers of Elmali district.

Avlan Lake, which started to hold water by closing its covers in 2001, was enriched with carp fish again.

The lake has a rich ecosystem and is home to 569 plant species.

108 of these plants are endemic plants endemic to the region.

In addition, there are 4 species of reptiles, 157 species of winged birds and 23 species of mammals living on land and in water in the lake.  

Important species such as Anatolian viper, white-tailed eagle and wild wolf can also be observed around the lake.

Avlan Lake, which has brought hope and abundance to the people around it from ancient times to the present day, draws attention with its ecological structure, flora and fauna that offer a visual feast in Elmali.

The lake continues to welcome its visitors with fascinating views around it.

• Gilevgi Castle

Gilevgi Castle, located within the borders of Ozdemir Village of Elmali, was built in 300 BC and played a critical role in protecting the region against external threats during the Hellenistic period.

Gilevgi Castle is located in a rich location and has a special design against environmental threats.

The castle has a unique feature as it is made with special materials that are used outside of the usual materials.

Gilevgi Castle, which is visited by many local and foreign tourists throughout the year, stands out as a touristic destination that draws attention with its unique architecture, location intertwined with nature, and rich historical findings.

The historical richness of Gilevgi Castle offers an impressive experience for visitors who are interested in the history and culture of the region.

• Ciglikara Forests Nature Reserve

Ciglikara Forests Nature Reserve is located 16 km south of Elmali district, west of Bey Mountains.

It includes Dokuzgol, Susuz Mountains and Avlan Lake.

The region is home to a variety of vegetation such as scrub, kermes oak, red pine, and cedar forests.

Ciglikara Forest, the best preserved cedar forest in the world, is famous for its giant cedar trees that are 2000-2500 years old.

Rich in endemic species, the region is home to 41 different plant species, including Aristolochia rechingeriana and Scabiosa paucidentata, which are found only in this region worldwide.

Ciglikara Forests are home to important bird species such as king eagles, small eagles and Anatolian nuthatches.

In addition, Lake Avlan is expected to become an important wetland for waterfowl again and dried.

In addition to the woolly rock sleeper, endemic mammal species such as the Taurus rock shrew mouse are also found in this area.

Ciglikara Forests is a conservation area that stands out with its biodiversity and endemic species.

In addition, this place is also an impressive attraction for bird watchers, you can witness the unique dance of nature.

• Semahoyuk Ancient City

Semahoyuk Ancient City is located in the Elmali district of Antalya.

This ancient city, which came to light as a result of excavations carried out by archaeologists, has a deep-rooted history dating back to the Chalcolithic Period.

Semahoyuk, which is determined to date back to the 3rd millennium BC, draws attention with the skeletons unearthed in the discovered jar tombs and the gifts of the dead.

These finds provide important clues about the burial customs and beliefs of the period.

The fact that Semahoyuk is located on a large mound shows that the region has been used as a settlement area by people since prehistoric times.

These features of the ancient city make it have an important place among the list of Places to visit in Antalya.

• Omer Pasha Mosque & Omer Pasha Tomb

Located in the center of Elmali district, the mosque was built in 1019 and 1610 by Ketencizâde Omer Pasha.

It is thought that the poet mentioned in the verse inscription is probably Seyhulislâm Zekeriyyâzâde Yahyâ Efendi.

Omer Pasha was a person from Manavgat, who rose from the door lord to the sergeant-head, and then reached the title of beylerbeyi.

The tomb and mosque built in the name of Omer Pasha, one of the important names of the Ottoman period, are located in the district center.

Built of cut stone, the mosque is a single-domed structure and draws attention with its magnificent architecture.

The interior walls decorated with Iznik tiles and the embroidery on the dome make the mosque look aesthetically magnificent.

The tomb located in the courtyard adds a different atmosphere to the mosque.

The Omer Pasha Madrasa, located opposite the mosque, is an important cultural heritage with its restored original features and attracts attention from visitors.

This historical complex represents one of the cultural riches of Elmali.

• Karaburun Tumulus Burial Chamber and Kizilbey Tomb

The Karaburun Tumulus and Burial Chamber contains a king's tomb located on the Elmali road in Antalya.

The wall paintings of this tomb, dated to the middle of the 5th century BC by Prof. Machteld Mellink, have an important cultural and historical value.

The murals depict the main scene of the triangular-roofed burial chamber.

In the painting, which is made using purple, blue, red, green, black and white colors, the ruler who owns the tomb is honored.

The picture shows the executive lying on a cline; He has his right hand raised, holding a bowl in his left hand.

Together with people offering wine, the banquet scene is depicted.

In addition, other paintings on the walls of the burial chamber depict a woman, animals,  and scenes of a funeral procession.

In an audit carried out in 2011, it was determined that the door of the burial chamber was broken and the murals were dismantled and stolen.

The wall paintings stolen after this incident have still not been found.

The incident was carried out in a professional way, which was also applied in other places such as Zeugma in Gaziantep and the Lysi Church in the KKTC.

Kizilbey Tomb: Kizilbey Tomb in the region is on the road to Elmali Yuva village.

No archaeological finds from the ancient period were found in this burial chamber consisting of limestone blocks.

• Topdagi Recreation Area

Topdagi Recreation Area stands out as a special place that offers a magnificent panoramic view to visitors who want to witness the centuries-old houses and centuries-old streets of the city of Elmali.

The recreation area has a large area surrounded by a total of 5300 m² stone wall, of which 2500 m² is masonry and 2800 m² is motif.

There are many facilities such as 500 meters of wellness walking paths, 120 modern lighting equipment, 30 wooden camellias and children's playgrounds in Topdagi Recreation Area.

There is also a restaurant available for visitors who want to experience regional delicacies.

The recreation area offers a pleasant atmosphere intertwined with nature with its camellias where you can enjoy a barbecue.

Topdagi Recreation Area is an ideal destination for those who want to explore the rich culture and natural beauties of Elmali.

Among the Places to visit in Elmali, there are many beauties blended with history, nature and culture.

• Bey Hammam

The Bey Hammam may have an inconspicuous structure today, but it  is an important structure that reflects the rich history, architecture, and cultural heritage of the city of  Elmali.

It stands out as it is the only bath still serving in Elmali and is one of the rare examples that preserves the character of a traditional Turkish bath.

Bey Hammam has been prepared from the perspective of art history and folklore for an article that aims to understand the bath culture of Elmali.

This building, popularly known as ‘’Bey Bath’’, is also referred to by different names in publications, such as ‘‘Agalar Bath’’, ‘‘Teke Bey Bath’‘, ‘‘Hamam-i Teke Bey’‘, ‘‘Omer Pasha Bath’‘.

The exact date of construction is uncertain due to the lack of a construction inscription of the bath.

However, some sources mention a repair inscription dated 1890.

The fact that the name of the bath was mentioned in a tahrir in 1455 suggests that the building belongs to the XV century.

• Incision Minaret

The Wooden Old Mosque, located in the Elmali district, is a historical building that is thought to date back to the 14th or 15th century.

However, as a result of a fire, it was completely destroyed.

Its minaret has survived for centuries despite the fire and was protected by a restoration carried out in the 1990s.

The minaret, which was taken under protection by Elmali Municipality in 2006, has become the symbol of the district.

The minaret made of stone, known as the Incision Minaret, has become the symbol of the district.

To the south of the minaret, there is a sundial on the pedestal and the oldest mosque still exhibits its beauty and magnificence with its minaret that has survived to the present day.

This historical minaret represents the cultural and historical richness of Elmali.

• Abdal Musa Tomb

Abdal Musa Sultan is a famous poet and thinker.

Abdal Musa Sultan, originally from Khorasan, came to the town of Khoy in Azerbaijan and lived there for a while, so  he was known as ‘‘Khoylu’‘.

In the 14th century, when the Ottomans conquered Bursa, he participated in the wars with Orhan Bey's soldiers and showed great usefulness.

The lodge founded by Abdal Musa Sultan has been repaired over time, but only the Abdal Musa Tomb remains standing today.  

In addition to Abdal Musa Sultan, there are the graves of his mother, father, sister and Kaygusuz Abdal in the  tomb .  

Abdal Musa Sultan's lodge has been a guide to countless people and great poets have been raised among these people.

Abdal Musa Sultan, who has an important place in the Alevi Bektashi faith, is commemorated with events held in June every year.

• Forkfountain

Catalcesme is a fountain built during the Seljuk period in the Elmali bazaar and is located just behind the Incision Minaret.

There is the following inscription in the 1284 historical inscription on the fountain;

‘‘Rahmat of the Bab of the Prophet of this Brother in the Cura Darey - Abdal alayya Allah Sahübul hayat usb, Abdul Ghaffar’‘

• Historical Elmali Houses

Elmali, with its old bazaars, arastas and narrow streets, is a deep-rooted settlement that reflects Anatolian culture by reaching into the depths of history at every step.

Elmali is located at the foot of Elmali Mountain.

The houses, decorated with bay windows, old-style windows and vivid colors, have survived by carrying the texture of the time to the present day.

These wooden Elmali Houses with double bay windows have been a source of inspiration not only for life but also for viewing times.

These houses, which have a structure as authentic as Safranbolu Houses, have managed to preserve their characteristic features over time.

Elmali Houses have a history of at least 500 years as an architectural element of the wood texture, and during this time, the rich cedar trees of the region were used abundantly.

Stylized trees, floral motifs and six-pointed stars in the decorations are among the unique examples reflecting Anatolian Culture.

A rare example that stands out among these houses is the Green Door.

Built in 1600, this building is the work of a special mastery in woodwork and is fascinating.

Elmali is a region surrounded by forests, and one of the most spectacular buildings where wood is used as an architectural material is the Elmali Houses on Aylar Street in the Tahtamescit District of Elmali.

This street offers the opportunity to witness the trace of history step by step.

• Elmali Museum

Elmali Museum, which has an important position among Turkey's archaeological and historical museums, is home to important archaeological artifacts that illuminate the history of the region.

The museum building was opened to visitors on 13.06.2011 as a result of the exhibition arrangement works completed by the Antalya Museum Directorate at the beginning of 2011.

There is also an open-air gallery within the museum.

In the administration section on the ground floor  of the museum and in hall I on the left side of the entrance, the  exhibition, which started  with the Bagbasi Artifacts belonging to the Late Chalcolithic period, continues with the first Bronze Age Artifacts of Karatas Semayuk.

On the same floor, selected examples of tombs and storage vessels from the same periods  are also exhibited.

In Hall No. 3, 3 cube tombs in the Karatas Semayuk cemetery area were exhibited in their original positions.

In the exhibition hall No. 1 on the right side of the first floor, the artifacts found in the excavations of Hacimusalar, Hoyuk and Karacakir were exhibited.

In other showcases, the finds obtained during the excavations of the Karaburun, Kizilbel and Bayindir Tumuli are exhibited;In  hall No. 3, Lycian city coins  and Roman Imperial coins; In hall No. 5 on the left side of the first floor, imitation examples of the 5th century BC Elmali treasure are exhibited.

While exploring the beauties of Elmali, you can find the chance to get to know this city where history, culture and nature are intertwined.

From Elmali, you can easily reach Antalya Airport (AYT) and Gazipasa Airport (GZP) on time.

Transportation Options: You can easily reach Antalya Airport (AYT) and Gazipasa Airport (GZP) by using public transportation options, Municipal Buses, Metro and Tram.

Before using these lines, you should check and select the appropriate timetables for your trip on the website.

Air transfer lines: You can reach Antalya Airport (AYT) and Gazipasa Airport (GZP) comfortably and effortlessly with your Airport Transfer reservations made on the Airtransferlines website.

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