TURKISH SPELLING AND PRONUNCIATION

Antalya has the most magnifıcent setting of ali the cities on the Mediterranean coast of Turkcy. it stands at the head of the immense gulf that bears its name, vvith the mighty ramparts of Mt. Climax and the olher Lycian mountains looming to the south-vvest, the Taurus range tovvering tier on tier to the north, and the lush subtropical Pamphylian plain vvith its immensely long beaches stretching off tovvards the horizon and Cilicia to thc cast. Looking northward up the Gulf of Antalya tovvard Mt. Climax, vvhose name in Greek means "ladder," Francis Beaufort describes the scene thus in his Karamania, vvhich vvas published in 1818:

From Ihis bay a chain of mountains extends along the shore to the north-ward. Their outline is extremely broken and picturesque, peak rising on peak in succession, as they recede from the shore. These mountains undoubtedly formed the antient Mount Climax, and the analogy is striking between that name and the regular gradations in vvhich they overtop each other.

Antalya vvas originally called Attaleia, after Attalus II of Pergamum (r. 159-138 b.c), founder of the city. Attalus, vvho intended his city to be the main Pergamene port on the Mediterranean coast, enclosed it vvith a circuit of defense vvalls and tovvers that vvere rebuilt in Roman times and stili survive today, though mostly in ruins. Attaleia vvas the principal port of Pamphylia throughout the rest of antiquity and on into the Byzantine era, vvhen it vvas knovvn as Adalia. During the Crusades Adalia often served as a port for the Christian armies that sailed from here to the Levant to avoid the long and difficult march across Asia Minör.