Located in the Kılınçarslan neighborhood of Antalya's Kaleiçi district, Hıdırlık Tower is one of only two structures from the Roman-era Attaleias, along with the Hadrian's Arch, that have survived to the present day. It received the name "Hıdırlık Tower" because the area surrounding the monument, a green space where Hıdrellez celebrations are still held today, is described as a "green, wetland" area.

A tower with a square-shaped base located in Antalya.

The answer is Hıdırlık Tower. You may come across this question in many books and have difficulty knowing the answer. Hıdırlık Tower can be reached by following the Lights Street inside the Castle and entering through the Three Gates, also known as Hadrian's Gate. Its view includes Antalya Marina, Antalya Konyaaltı Beach, Antalya Beach Park, Antalya Cliffs, and the blue waters of the Mediterranean. Due to its location, it has seating areas and resting areas for families. The magnificent structure that people in Antalya describe as "a tower with a square base located in Antalya" is Hıdırlık Tower.

Hıdırlık Tower is a remarkable structure in Antalya tourism.

The name Antalya Hıdırlık Tower is perhaps linked to the Hıdrellez celebrations during the Turkish era. Despite some changes and minor repairs due to use, the structure has not undergone any significant scientific research or structural restoration to date and has been left to its fate. The structure is oriented northeast-southwest and southeast-northwest. It consists of a base section with a nearly square plan measuring 17.20 x 17.30 m and an upper floor in the form of a cylinder with a diameter of 7.95 m.

Hıdırlık Tower Architecture

The northeast facade is the main entrance gate, with doors centrally located at the top and bottom. There is a ten-style door leading into the burial chamber. Due to the dense fill in this part of the structure, the original height of the door is currently unknown. There are six “fasciste” reliefs on either side of the door. Various loopholes can be seen reflected on the facades: three on the southeast facade, two on the southwest facade, and one on the northwest facade.

Additionally, on the northwest facade, there is another door, smaller than the main door, which initially provided access to the upper floor. Due to the ground fill, the actual height of this door, located in the center of the facade, is unknown. From the main facade facing the Old Town, a dromos-shaped entrance corridor leads to the main burial chamber. A door at the end of this corridor leads to the main burial chamber, which is no longer present. There are three significant niches opening into this area. On the outward-facing wall of one of these niches, located on the southwest facade, a large opening measuring 1.90 x 2.15 meters is visible, which was later closed during modern restorations.

Additionally, the southwest niche is part of the raised platform located in the southwest and southeast niches. The burial chamber and entrance corridor are covered with a vault that is nearly semicircular. Due to the doorway filled with rubble stones on the northwest facade, access to the upper floor is currently possible through an opening that was later added in the niche to the southeast of the main space.

A stone staircase leading to the top of the pedestal enters this opening. A staircase facing northeast ascends to the upper floor through a semicircular arched entrance. The center of the upper floor has a square pedestal raised from the ground and originally bore a statue of the tomb's owner. The pavement between the walkway and the pedestal is quite deformed, and the original pavement level is covered in places with brick.

Those who have previously described Hıdırlık Tower

Some of the den-dan blocks along the promenade are still in place, but a large portion of the parapet blocks (except for the three blocks to the north) have disappeared. When the structure was incorporated into the city wall system, the spaces between the den-dan blocks were filled with rubble stones in the southwest, south, and southeast directions. In 1874, W. Hirschfeld stated that the structure, which the famous traveler Evliya Çelebi called the Hıdırlık Tower and considered part of the defense system, was a tomb. Following KG von Lanckoronski, numerous researchers and scientists discovered that the structure was a Roman tomb.

Because similar structures were found in Roman tombs or mausoleums, it was determined that it could be the tomb of a Roman consul who was a native of the city, and that the structure should be dated to the 1st or 2nd century AD. Hıdırlık Tower, with both its form and monumentality, best reflects the traditional Roman mausoleum style in Antalya and represents a unique example of the Roman-specific mausoleum style in Anatolia. The multi-story tomb monument type began to appear in Anatolia from the Early Classical Period onwards.

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus is the most famous example of this type of funerary monument. The Hıdırlık Tower, both in its form and plan design, differs from the traditional mausoleum style widely used in Anatolia, largely drawing on the historical funerary structures found in Talya. With the rise of Christianity throughout the world in Late Antiquity and the prohibition of polytheism, it maintained its own specific function. By the end of the 4th century AD, it must have functioned at least as a pagan tomb.

According to current information, the structure likely began to serve a different purpose in the 7th century when it became part of the city's defense system. Its function changed during the Early Byzantine period. First, it became a religious building, and then it became part of the city's defense system. It continued in this role until the 19th century.

Archaeological Excavations of Hıdırlık Tower

The building, which was used as a materials warehouse by Antalya Municipality in the 1950s, is currently open to visitors for cultural and artistic events by the Metropolitan Municipality at certain times. With the addition of new functions, some permanent damage and spatial changes have occurred. Furthermore, the increased weight of the upper floor due to the additions and tectonic movements have resulted in structural instability such as slippage, cracking, and separation.

Haphazard attempts to complete the additions have neglected to preserve the original texture of the structure and support its structural integrity. While at first glance the building appears to retain all its original features, some have been lost, particularly due to additions and alterations made during its second phase of use. These additions were largely removed from the structure during natural erosion and loss, especially during the demolition of the city walls in the 1930s.

Although the procedures involved resulted in the loss of original fixtures on both floors, it is possible to recreate some ancient details that are not visible today. The structure was also used as a defensive tower and a sacred place at various times. There are traces to indicate this.

This study comprehensively examined the structure, which was left to its fate after its registration in 1955 without any scientific research or repair work. It also laid the groundwork for future renovations and repairs by creating survey drawings and computer-aided restoration and design projects. Subheadings include survey studies, survey drawings and material analyses, and analyses of problems arising in the materials and structure.

Hıdırlık Tower Restoration

The restoration project was prepared based on existing traces in the structure, written and visual documents related to the building, and typological research on other structures with similar mass, function, and plan schemes. While preparing the restoration (conservation-repair) project, intervention principles aimed at solving the building's conservation and usage problems were determined. The goal was to preserve and showcase not only its original state but also every phase the building has undergone over time. Completing sections that are not supported by archaeological data or any other information has been avoided. The restoration project recommends strengthening existing traces and taking measures to ensure the building's longevity.

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