One of the places where the most intense historical richness of Turkey’s is Antalya in addition to its natural beauties. The ancient cities of the Lycian, Roman and Byzantine civilizations lined along the Mediterranean coast take visitors thousands of years ago. However, the history of Antalya is not limited to these periods. This city, which has been inhabited continuously, had maintained its importance during the Seljuk and Ottoman periods and has managed to preserve its cultural richness from its past to the present day.
Those who want to learn about Antalya’s recent history and folklore will witness in the Ethnographic Museum how rich the background of the city with its social life, culture and traditions. Located in Kaleiçi, the touristic area of Antalya city center, the Museum has been created by arranging two historical mansions from the Ottoman Period. Different works are exhibited in two parts of the Museum divided into Upper and Lower Mansions depending on their location.
There are Turkish-Islamic artifacts in the Lower Mansion, whereas some objects related to the daily life of the people of Antalya during the Ottoman Period, accompanied by animations, are exhibited in the Upper Mansion. Some artifacts unearthed by excavations in Kaleiçi as well as tile pieces brought from the Aspendos Theater, which is one of the most prominent historical structures of Turkey, are exhibited on the first floor of the Old Mansion section, These tiles, which belong to the Seljuk Period, during which the Theater was used as a palace, are among the beautiful and rare examples of the period. Among the Ottoman artifacts are pieces produced by ceramic centers of the period such as İznik, Kütahya and Çanakkale and handmade glass products used for different purposes. The second floor is devoted to Ottoman weapons and other objects of daily use and calligraphy.
The second mansion is a place where you can learn about life in Antalya especially during the Ottoman Period. The most intense group of the first floor of the mansion consists of architectural pieces belonging to the Ottoman period buildings. Together with Döşemealtı carpets produced in Antalya, you can see the weaving looms that shed light on the production stages of these carpets. In the mansion, where animations occupy a significant place, domestic life in Antalya during the Ottoman Period are described in multiple rooms along with belongings of the period. Yoruks’ lifestyle, which has an important role in Antalya culture, is also animated vividly. Some inscriptions from the Seljuk and Ottoman periods, cannons with cannonballs and tombstones are pieces that can be seen in the garden of the mansions.
