If a gated community with a guarded entry seems like a modern-day security measure, think again. Homes in a neighborhood in Alanya, a city in the Turkey province of Antalya, are surrounded by miles of medieval castle walls complete with watchtowers.
Alanya Kale was built as a fortress on a rocky peninsula surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean Sea. On the harbor side is the foreboding Red Tower, a defensive stronghold that protected the castle from attacks by sea. The castle, tower and shipyard took shape in the 13th century.
Today, the resort town along the Turkish Riviera draws tourists to a hotel-lined stretch of sand named Cleopatra Beach, where it is believed the Egyptian queen once swam.
The castle itself is an open-air museum. Privately owned red-tile roof homes fill the grounds. The early villas, from the 18th and 19th centuries, reflect the architecture of the Ottoman reign.
One of the houses within the walls, named Korakesium Ev, is currently for sale—an infrequent occurrence. “On average,” says listing agent Stephen Garvey of Best Invest—Turkey, the rate of ownership turnover is “one per year with prices starting at about €2 million.” That’s about US $2.2 million.
Set on the fortress slopes above a narrow cobblestone path, the timber-frame house features a stone ground floor and a second story supported by cantilevered wood beams.
From this vantage point the views are “breathtaking,” Garvey says, and capture the castle walls, the Red Tower, the Taurus Mountains, the Mediterranean Sea, the metropolis of Alanya and the expansive coastline and beaches. Nearby are the harbor, boardwalk, restaurants and nightclubs.
The villa reflects the area’s Ottoman architectural heritage with rows of modular windows, stained glass, symmetrical design and a semi-open floor plan.
The double-height entrance hall serves as an internal courtyard from which to enter the living spaces. The walls are a mix of stone and plaster set between wood frames or wood panels.
Wood accents built from local timber carry throughout the three-bedroom, two-bathroom house, which has 250 square meters or nearly 2,700 square feet of living space.
Mehmet Gökkaya and Garvey, both with Best Invest—Turkey, are the listing agents. They anticipate the selling price will be in the neighborhood of €2.5 million or about US $2.7 million.
The buyer could be of any nationality, according to Gökkaya, as a property purchase in Turkey is a path to citizenship. He envisions the villa being used as a vacation or retirement home.