The Citadel of Alanya, the walls of which are nearly 6.5 kilometres long, is on a peninsula whose height is up to 250 metres from the sea level. Although the settlement on Alanya peninsula, also known as Kandeleri, dates back to the Hellenistic Era, its cultural characteristics that can be seen today are thanks to Selcuks of the 13th century.

The citadel was constructed on the demand of the Sultan of Selcuks, Alaaddin Keykubat, who conquered and had the city rebuilt in 1221. The citadel has 83 towers and 140 bastions. Nearly 400 cisterns were built to supply the city surrounded by walks in the medieval times with water. Some of the cisterns are still used today. The walls were built in a well-planned manner; downwards to Ehmedek, İçkale, Adama Atacağı, the upper part of Cilvarda Bay, Arap Evliyası Burcu and Esat Burcu, then through the gun house and the dockyard and they end up in Kızılkule-İçkale, an open-air museum, is located at the peak of the peninsula. Alaaddin Keykubat, the Sultan, had his palace built there.

Today the citadel is still inhabited by people. In front of wooden and brick houses of historical value, silk and cotton are woven, white gourds are painted in different figures and authentic meals are served in small gardens. There are also restaurants and cafés on the way to the citadel and on its sides overlooking the harbour. The citadel is open to traffic. It takes you nearly an hour to walk to the citadel.