Hidirlik Tower (Turkish name: Hıdırlık Kulesi) is a former tower of the Roman Empire in Antalya.
The tower is located at the steep bank in the old town of Kaleichi, next to Karaalioglu Park.
It is believed that the tower was built by the ruling Roman Empire in the 2nd century AD and was used as a lighthouse or fortification, performing defensive functions. Due to the fact that there is a large stone block inside the tower, some historians believe that the tower could have been a tomb. Restorations of the tower were carried out during the Seljuk era and under the Ottoman Empire.
The name of the tower "Hidirlik", which literally means "place of Hidra", means the place where the spring festival of Hydyrellez takes place.
The structure is made of yellow-brown stone. It has a quadrangular base and a massive round top.
The tower is about 14 meters (46 feet) high on the east side has an entrance gate leading to a small room from which a narrow staircase leads.
Near the Hidirlik Tower, in the place where the land the walls of the city were connected to the sea walls, there is a small archaeological excavation area with cannons and restaurants with open-air tables with panoramic views of the tower and the sea waters.
Near the tower and the excavation site there is a observation deck in the form of a small square with an epic monument to the War of Independence (Kurtuluş Savaşı Destanı Anıtı) and a monument to the Turkish poet, novelist, screenwriter, playwright and public figure Nazım Hikmet (Nazım Hikmet Heykeli), created in 2010 for the 47th the anniversary of the poet's death.
This square is the western observation deck of the Karaalioglu Park (Karaaalioğlu Parkı Batı Seyir Terası).
The site offers panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea, the rocky shores of Antalya, Konyaalti beach and mountains.
Practical information
You can view the tower 24 hours a day.
Access is free.
Address of the Hidirlik Tower: Kılınçarslan, Hıdırlık Sk. No:50, 07100 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Turkey.
Coordinates of the Hidirlik Tower: 36°52'53.0"N 30°42'13.0"E (36.881389, 30.703611).
All accommodation facilities in Antalya (hotels, apartments, guest houses, etc.), including near beaches, in the historical center of the city and more remotely from those, can be view and book here
