Hadrian`s Gate is the most significant monument of the ancient Roman architecture in the center of the Old Town of Antalya. If you visit Antalya with a guided tour, you must see this sight.
In the period of the Roman Empire, when Antalya was at the peak of its development, Kaleici (Old Town) was surrounded by a fortified wall with several gates. The gate was built in 130 before the Roman Emperor Hadrian visited the city and it was named after him. Since the gate was far from busy roads, it was hardly used, so they survived to this day in excellent condition.
The gate has three arches and vaguely resemble a Roman Triumphal Arch. The gate is decorated with marble columns with capitals, and the ceilings of arches are decorated with caissons. Originally, the structure had two tiers, but only the lower tier survived to this day.
There are large fortress towers with battlements on both sides of Hadrian’s Gate. The left-side tower was built under the Romans and was named after St. Julia. The right-side tower was built in the XIII century during the Ottoman period.
