Hadrian's Gate, Antalya, Turkey
Posted by: 
Arne1
N 36° 53.130 E 030° 42.480
36S E 295746 N 4084623
The Hadrian's Gate, or Hadrianus Gate, is a triumphal arch which was built in the name of the Roman emperor Hadrian, who visited Antalya in 130 A.D. It has three arched gates.
Waymark Code: WM9XG1
Location: Türkiye
Date Posted: 10/11/2010
Views: 28
A prosperous port, Attaleia was surrounded by thick defensive stone walls pierced by several gates that could be closed and sealed in case of attack from pirates or invaders.
The grandest of these, and the only one surviving, is Hadrian's Gate Hadriyanüs Kapisi), a monumental triple-arched portal modeled on the Roman triumphal arch.
Hadrian's Gate was constructed in 130 AD to commemorate Emperor Hadrian's visit to the city. Note the coffered ceiling in the arches, the decorative marble columns between the arches on both sides. At one time, statues of Emperor Hadrian and his family probably decorated the top of the gate, but these are long gone.
Note also the deep grooves in the stone pavement beneath the central arch, carved by the wheels of thousands of carts passing in and out of the city over the centuries. The grooves are so deep—and treacherous to pedestrians—that many walkers choose to go around and through the left or right arch rather than risk a twisted ankle in the central arch.
The massive, crenellated stone towers framing the gate date from different periods. The southern tower, on the left as you view the gate from the boulevard, is Roman, with a carved stone plaque set in it as proof. The north tower (right) was rebuilt in Seljuk Turkish times by Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat I (1219-1238), as attested by a plaque set in it. The inscription is in old Turkish, written in the Arabic script.
Most Relevant Historical Period: Roman Empire > 27 B.C.
Admission Fee: no
Opening days/times:
public
Web Site: [Web Link]
Condition: Partly intact or reconstructed
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