Finding Hidden Churches – Walking Tour of Kaleiçi, Antalya

Starting from Hadrian’s Gate to the Port of Antalya, this tour will walk near to former Greek Churches of Kaleiçi. A path that replicates the area that the Apostle Paul walked from Perge to the Antalya Port.

Hadrian’s Gate, built in 130 AD, marks the route up from the port toward the ancient city of Perge. When Paul headed to Perge (Acts 13:13 and 14:25), he landed at a nearby port (Magydus)^[1]see https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/1122747 but later left from Antalya port. His walk toward Perge, which is northeast of the landing, would have taken him most likely through this pathway which is now Hadrian’s gate.

Hadrian ruled Rome from 117 to 138 AD and built walls and fortresses from Britain to Syria, and this gate gives evidence in how he wanted to strengthen this important port city.^[2]https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hadrian/Artistic-achievements As a ruler, he was known for crushing those who opposed him, but he did not have a specific policy to persecute Christians. He followed the pattern of Trajan and dealt with unlawful behavior ruthlessly.^[3]https://www.historytoday.com/archive/causes-early-persecutions

Notice the steps down and up near the gate, this shows that the current old walled city sits upon the ancient ruins about six feet under the narrow passageways of the town. Mark W. Wilson, a scholar in the region, said, This historic walled “Old City” is situated over the remains of Greco Roman Attalia founded around 167 BCE by Attalus II.^[4]The Discovery of a Menorah in Attalia (Kaleiçi, Antalya) and its Significance for Jewish Communities in Pamphylia, Mark Wilson, ADALYA 23, 2020, 348. The old town sits upon many remains which often can be seen in empty lots within the old walls.

As one enters Kaleiçi, on the left before the first street, depicts a cross on the wall about six feet above the ground (Across from Schiller’s Bistro). The cross placed on the left side marks the area that was set aside for the Greek population. The Ottomans made these neighborhoods an allowed place for Greeks to settle while the Turks settled north and West of the port. This Greek quarter is where we will see the former churches.

For Google Maps: place in the following location from Hadrian’s Gate (A): B. Suna – İnan Kıraç Müzesi, C. Site where a Jewish Menorah was found. D. Panagia Greek Orthodox Church (now a Mosque), E. Sehzade Korkut Mosque, F. Park looking out over the Harbor, and then G. Iskele Mosque. A 1.1 km walk is displayed on the Google Maps app and will take about an hour, depending on how long one stays inside some of the Mosques. (Or if you start at the Port area, reverse the order.) Here is the link to my google walking map.

From Hadrian’s Gate, we head straight with a very slight left from the Gate to our next stop

Suna – İnan Kıraç Müzesi (B)

St. George Greek Orthodox Church – this former church now houses Suna – İnan Kıraç Müzesi, which displays the church and a 19th-century Turkish house. In the old city, at least five known Greek churches existed, with a few others suspected. This one, most likely the newest built of the known churches, was named after George, a martyred Greek soldier. At his death, he refused to recant his faith during the Diocletian persecution of Christians (he died in 303 AD). Greek-speaking churches honor him in Turkiye since he came from the Cappadocian area. Interestingly, the Greek writing above the door displays Turkish sentences that say this church was built in 1863, along with a comment that the site housed a church long before this.

The former church, now a museum, houses some religious relics and other historical exhibitions. Notice the two existing doors, which both show religious symbols above the doors. St. George, known for killing a dragon that threatened the people, can be seen on the West doorway along with Seraphim angels.

Departing left from the Museum, we return to the street we came on previously.

Heading on to Müze Street, there lies an empty lot on the left associated with 14 Müze (C on Google Map). At this site is where pieces of a Jewish Menorah were found. Thus suspecting that a synagogue existed near this area.^[5]Mark Wilson writes about this https://www.academia.edu/44653714 At the end of this street lays a small square, which a former Greek Church called St. Nicholas used to reside on this square. Now Candle Suites resides where this church most likely was. As we take a right, we approach the Alaeddin Camii, and on the first doorway (#30) at this turn displays an unknown symbol that looks very Jewish.

Panaya Church – Alaeddin Mosque (D)

Panaya Church (or Panagia – meaning virgin), now the Alaeddin Mosque (D), was the most important Greek church during the 19th century. The building constructed in 1834 was built upon the foundation of a Byzantine church.^[6]Antalya Cultural Inventory, Antalya Valiliği 2004, 38. The Byzantine churches spoke Greek and became a part of the Greek Orthodox Church when the Great Schism took place in 1054. So when we see Greek churches in Turkiye from the 18th and 19th centuries, we can assume in many places, there existed a Byzantine church at that location before or nearby.

The partial tower near the entrance hosted a bell that rang out the time of worship. Also, the locked backyard hosts a common Kaleiçi well found in many courtyards along what appears to be the former marble communion table.

The name Panagia repeats on our next visit – a church around the corner, Panagia, with the same historical name and in close vicinity. The name means the Virgin Mary church, which the Kesik Minera Mosque took over the former church in 1469, and forcing the congregation to move to a new location, which possible could be this location. So most likely, we just visited the second Panagia church in the old town. Our tour will approach the next site from its back courtyard.

Virgin Mary Church – Kesik Minera Mosque (E)

Virgin Mary Byzantine Church (Παναγία – Panagia) – Kesik Minera Mosque – now known as Şehzad Korkut Camii. The multiple names for these sites reflect the historical turmoil of the location. The first church was built upon the ruins of a Roman temple in the 5th-6th century.^[8]It’s a Mosque now; Panhagia, Kesik Minare from Antalya, Gamze Kaymak-Heinz, 2020, 325. So the location reflects a temple built in the 2nd till 5th century, a church from 5th to 13th century, then a mosque from 13th to 1361, again a church from 1361 to near to 1469, again a mosque 1469 to 1896 (fire), and then a restored mosque in 2020.^[9]https://turkisharchaeonews.net/object/broken-minaret-antalya So the place hosted a temple once, at least twice a church, and three times a Mosque. For these reasons, the multiple names for the site.

The Turkish historian, Evren Dayar states two very interesting things about this place. One that the location most likely was shared as a church and mosque during the late 17th, early 18th century. The change of population increased where the neighborhood again became dominate by Greeks. Soon after, after becoming a mosque again, the fire of 1896 burned down the neighborhood from here to the Hidirlik Tower.^[10]Antalya Kaleiçi Panhagia Kilisesi ve Câmi-i Cedid, Evren Dayar, 535. “Panaghia Kilisesi câmiye dönüştürüldükten sonra yaklaşık dört asır boyunca Müslümanların ibadetine açık … Continue reading

So far, we have walked through the Greek-assigned neighborhood that the Ottomans set up to keep the Christians and Muslims separated. The other sections not on this walking tour, like the Clock Tower and the Yivliminare Mosque area, were set aside for Muslims. No churches remain in the upper castle area or the western section of the city.^[11]see Antalya Kaleiçi Panhagia Kilisesi ve Câmi-i Cedid, Evren Dayar, 546-547. However, the port side of the harbor was a shared space, and one Christian site existed down near the port, let’s go and see what remains.

Kecili Park (F)

On the way down, we will stop at Kecili Park, a great place for a picture overlooking the harbor.

Iskele Camii – Ayazma (G)

Iskele Camii – Ayazma site – On maps, if one searches for churches in the old city of Antalya, one will see the name Ayazma (Αγιάζμα), which means consecration in Greek, often describes a sight with holy water.^[12]many churches with same name in Istanbul https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/holy-springs-healing-springs-istanbuls-ayazma-42148 The mosque built in … stands in an elevated situation, quite different for a mosque. The reason is that the object below is a Greek baptism. Near the wall, possibly was the location of the former church where some men sell caps to tourists who walk by.

If you enjoyed this tour, please post. Also, if you are interested in a deeper discussion of the difference between Christianity and Islam, check out my book, Searching Below the Surface.

Other church sites near the Old City of Antalya:

1. Alp Orthodox church (Agios Alypios) which now hosts the Russian Orthodox Church near Yenikapi in Kaleiçi.
2. Yivli Minaret Mosque – built upon the ruins of Aya İonnis Tu Teoloğu Church.^[15]https://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12620242/index.pdf A former six-domed Byzantine church. If one visits there, notice the 12 pillars from the former church. Other sites verify a church there.
3. Aziz Theodoros School – still researching the mentioning of this school.
4. A former Armenian church near Hamam Cikmazi Sokak – now no evidence of existence between the apartment complexes.