After battling for five years, Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat finally conquered Alanya and had The Red Tower built primarily to defend the town`s shipyard. The Red Tower is one the town`s main attractions and landmarks. It was illustrated on the old Turkish bank notes with a value of 250,000 trl.
The octagonal (eight sided) tower was finished in 1226 and is 33 metres high with five floors. The lowest floor these days often houses exhibitions, for example historical collections of fabrics, work tools, weapons or other items from the Seljuk and Ottoman periods.
Characteristic of the Red Tower are the oblong embrasures, which can be seen on all sides of the tower. Soldiers in the tower could defend themselves without being hit and, if attackers approached too closely, boiling water or other unpleasant substances could be poured out through the small openings.
