Hidirlik Tower

About Hidirlik Tower

Hıdırlık Tower is a landmark tower of tawny stone in Antalya, Turkey, where Kaleiçi meets Karaalioğlu Park.

Hidirlik Tower is a landmark of Antalya, a tower of tawny stone standing where the old town of Kaleici meets Karaalioglu Park, on the edge of the cliff above the bay. The Romans built it in the second century CE with a square base and a circular upper storey; it served as a bastion and a lighthouse guiding ships into the harbour, and is thought also to have been a monumental tomb for a Roman dignitary. Its present name comes from Hidirellez, the spring festival held on the night of 5–6 May, when the townspeople gathered at this spot for the popular celebration linked in Turkish tradition to al-Khidr and Elijah. Today the tower is one of the most photographed points in Antalya, surrounded by cafes and the walking paths along the old city walls. From around it there is a superb view over the Gulf of Antalya and the Taurus Mountains, snow-capped in winter, and along Konyaalti beach stretching westwards, above all at sunset, when people gather here every evening.

Where:

Antalya, Türkiye