Kizil Kule (Red Tower)

Kizil Kule (Red Tower) Review

A minor masterpiece of Mediterranean military architecture, the 100-foot-high Kizil Kule, was built by the Seljuks in 1225 to defend Alanya harbor and the nearby shipyard known as the tersane (arsenal). Sophisticated technology for the time was imported in the form of an architect from Aleppo who was familiar with crusader castle building. The octagonal redbrick structure includes finely judged angles of fire for archers manning the loopholes, cleverly designed stairs to cut attackers off, and a series of troughs to convey boiling tar and melted lead onto besieging forces. Nowadays the Red Tower's cool passages house temporary exhibits, probably less captivating than the view from the roof. A short walk south along the water—or along the castle walls, if you prefer—is another defensive tower rising above the tersane, which is made up of five workshops all under an arched roof. Ships could be pulled up under the vaulted stone arches for building or repairs, and the cover was likely also useful for storing war supplies.