Gazipaşa

Gazipaşa is a municipality and district in Antalya Province on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. It lies approximately 180 kilometres east of Antalya city and next to Alanya, with Sarıveliler to the north, Anamur to the east, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south and west. The district covers about 1,111 square kilometres and had a population of 53,702 in 2022 according to the referenced Wikipedia entry. The settlement occupies a narrow coastal corridor between the Mediterranean and the Taurus Mountains. The mountains rise sharply inland, reaching 2,253 metres at Deliktaş, while the district has roughly 50 kilometres of coastline comprising sandy beaches, rocky shorelines, and smaller coves. Several beaches provide nesting habitat for loggerhead sea turtles, and construction restrictions apply in protected nesting areas. The surrounding landscape also contains caves, wildlife habitat, mountain routes, and archaeological remains. Gazipaşa’s economy is primarily agricultural. Bananas and citrus fruits, particularly oranges, are among its best-known products. Farmers also cultivate vegetables and fruits in open fields and greenhouses, including cucumbers, strawberries, and artichokes. Grain production, animal husbandry, forestry, and small-scale fishing supplement the agricultural economy. Seasonal grazing takes place in the higher Taurus Mountains. Gökçeler Dam is an important piece of local infrastructure, although the district has comparatively little heavy industry. The area has a long recorded history. Evidence of settlement reaches back to the Bronze Age, while the ancient city of Selinus was established on the River Kestros in the sixth century BCE. The region later passed through Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Armenian, Seljuk, Karamanid, and Ottoman periods. Roman Emperor Trajan died at Selinus during a journey along the Mediterranean coast in the second century CE; the settlement was subsequently associated with the name Traianapolis for a period. Historical and archaeological sites in the district include Selinus, Iotape, Lamos or Adanda, Nephelis, and Antiochia ad Cragum. Modern Gazipaşa has not undergone the same scale of tourism development as neighbouring Alanya, but its municipality and local stakeholders have promoted tourism based on beaches, ancient sites, caves, mountain scenery, walking, and road travel. The opening of Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport in 2010 improved access to the wider tourism area, including Gazipaşa, Alanya, Anamur, and Yeşilöz. Proposals and development efforts connected with marina facilities have also reflected an ambition to expand the district’s visitor economy while retaining its rural and environmental character. Gazipaşa has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, wetter winters. It is also connected internationally through municipal twinning relationships with Brønnøysund in Norway and Virovitica in Croatia. The locality functions primarily as a public administrative district and municipality rather than as a commercial consumer brand.

Gazipaşa occupies a historically important section of the eastern Antalya coast. Archaeological evidence indicates that the area was inhabited by at least the second millennium BCE, with later settlements developing along the Mediterranean shore and the lower reaches of the River Kestros, now known as the Hacımusa. The ancient city of Selinus was founded around 628 BCE in the wider historical region of Cilicia. The area became part of the Roman world in 197 BCE. Selinus later gained particular historical significance when the Roman emperor Trajan died there during a journey along the Mediterranean coast in the second century CE. His successor, Hadrian, arranged for his remains to be taken to Rome. For a period the settlement was associated with the name Traianapolis. The region remained under the Eastern Roman, or Byzantine, Empire until changing political control brought Armenian and later Turkish powers into the area. In the thirteenth century, the coast was captured by the Seljuk Turks under Ala al-Din Kayqubad. Armenian forces briefly recovered parts of the region, after which control passed to the Karamanids during the period of Anatolian beyliks. The Ottoman Empire incorporated the area in 1472 following the campaigns of Gedik Ahmed Pasha. Ottoman-era accounts describe Selinti as a collection of villages with a mosque near the waterfront and a jetty used for maritime connections, including routes toward Cyprus. The historical landscape includes the remains or sites associated with Selinus, Iotape, Lamos or Adanda, Nephelis, and Antiochia ad Cragum. Archaeological work has continued into the modern period. In 2004, researchers from Florida State University recovered a small bronze Pegasus statue from waters off the coast; the object was dated to approximately 300 BCE and is now associated with the Alanya Museum. Modern Gazipaşa developed as an agricultural and administrative district rather than as a major industrial or mass-tourism centre. Its coastal plain supports citrus and banana cultivation, while greenhouse farming has expanded to include vegetables, strawberries, and artichokes. The Taurus Mountains support animal husbandry, forestry, wildlife habitat, and recreational travel. The district’s transport profile changed with the opening of Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport in 2010, which created a direct aviation gateway for Gazipaşa and neighbouring tourism markets. Gazipaşa remains a municipality and district of Antalya Province. Its identity combines rural production, Mediterranean ecology, ancient heritage, and modest tourism development. The municipality is also linked through twinning arrangements with Brønnøysund in Norway and Virovitica in Croatia.

• 2010

  Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport opened

  [1]Gazipaşaen.wikipedia.org

  The airport began serving Gazipaşa and nearby tourism centres, strengthening the district’s regional accessibility.

• 2004

  Discovery of a bronze Pegasus statue

  [1]Gazipaşaen.wikipedia.org

  A small bronze statue dated to approximately 300 BCE was found in the waters off Gazipaşa during archaeological research.

• 1472

  Incorporation into the Ottoman Empire

  [1]Gazipaşaen.wikipedia.org

  The area was brought into the Ottoman Empire by Gedik Ahmed Pasha during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II.

• Foundation of ancient Selinus

  [1]Gazipaşaen.wikipedia.org

  The ancient Greek city of Selinus was established on the River Kestros in the historical region of Cilicia.

• Roman control of the region

  [1]Gazipaşaen.wikipedia.org

  The area passed into Roman control as part of the wider political reorganization of the eastern Mediterranean.

• Death of Emperor Trajan at Selinus

  [1]Gazipaşaen.wikipedia.org

  Roman Emperor Trajan died at Selinus while travelling along the Mediterranean coast; the settlement was later associated with the name Traianapolis.

• Seljuk conquest

  [1]Gazipaşaen.wikipedia.org

  The coastal area was taken by the Seljuk Turks under Ala al-Din Kayqubad after the Byzantine and Armenian phases of regional control.

A rural Mediterranean district combining agricultural production, archaeological heritage, protected coastal environments, and emerging tourism infrastructure.

• Agricultural produce

  Bananas

  Bananas are one of Gazipaşa’s signature agricultural products. The district’s Mediterranean coastal climate and protected growing areas support banana cultivation, making the crop central to its rural economic identity.

• Agricultural produce

  Citrus fruit

  Oranges and other citrus fruits are widely cultivated in Gazipaşa’s coastal and lower-elevation agricultural areas. Citrus production forms part of the district’s established fruit-growing economy.

• Agricultural produce

  Greenhouse crops

  Greenhouse agriculture has expanded in Gazipaşa, enabling year-round cultivation of cucumbers, strawberries, artichokes, and other crops. Greenhouses operate both along the coastal strip and in suitable inland locations.

• Transport infrastructure · 2010

  Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport

  Opened in 2010, Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport provides air access for Gazipaşa and nearby destinations including Alanya, Anamur, and Yeşilöz. It supports the district’s tourism and regional connectivity rather than functioning as a commercial consumer product.

• 2010

  Opening of Gazipaşa-Alanya AirportOther

  Background

  Gazipaşa had historically remained less developed for tourism than neighbouring Alanya and needed improved regional access.

  Action taken

  Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport opened to serve Gazipaşa and surrounding tourism economies.

  Aftermath

  The airport improved access to the eastern Antalya coast and became part of local efforts to develop tourism while retaining the district’s agricultural and rural character.

  Source

1. 1Gazipaşaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Gazipaşa Municipality official websitegazipasa.bel.tr