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Yivli Minaret, Antalya

Fluted red-brick Yivli Minaret above the cypresses and palms of Kaleiçi, with domes below and sea and mountains behind
Photo: Saffron Blaze, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free — minaret, mosque and Mevlevihane museum
Hours
Minaret: outside, any time; mosque: outside prayer times; Mevlevihane museum: daily, 1 November–30 April 8:30–17:30
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
20 min
With kids
Fine with kids
Mevlevihane museum
Daily; 1 November–30 April 8:30–17:30, last entry 17:00; free
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Mosque
Open outside prayer times; Friday midday is the main weekly prayer
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Climbing the minaret
Not open to visitors — you see it from outside
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Time needed
20–30 minutes; about an hour with the museum
Getting there
Heritage tram T2 to Kalekapısı or AntRay T1 to İsmetpaşa, then a 2–3-minute walk
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Address
Cumhuriyet Caddesi 55, Kaleiçi, Muratpaşa
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Coordinates
36.88639, 30.70444YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

1220–1237built under the Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I, named in the inscription on its west side
3 sourcesKÜRE encyclopediaEnglish WikipediaAnadolu Agency
≈ 38 mtall — visible from most of central Antalya
2 sourcesEnglish and Turkish WikipediaAnadolu Agency (KÜRE and Türkiye newspaper give about 30 m)
8 flutesof red brick make up the shaft — yivli means “fluted” in Turkish
2 sourcesEnglish WikipediaAnadolu Agency
1373the present mosque built by Emir Mehmed Bey of the Hamidid dynasty; architect Balaban et-Tavaşi
2 sourcesKÜRE encyclopediaTürkiye newspaper
6 domeson 12 columns, many reused from Roman and Byzantine buildings
2 sourcesEnglish WikipediaTürkiye newspaper
90 stepslead up inside the minaret to the muezzin’s balcony
2 sourcesTurkish WikipediaKÜRE encyclopedia
Turquoise tilesonce covered the brick; fragments are still visible
2 sourcesEnglish WikipediaAnadolu Agency
1954the top above the balcony was rebuilt after a fire
2 sourcesKÜRE encyclopediaTürkiye newspaper
Until 1972the mosque and its courtyard housed the city museum
2 sourcesKÜRE encyclopediaTürkiye newspaper
1377the tomb of Zincirkıran Mehmed Bey built in the upper garden
3 sourcesKÜRE encyclopediaTurkish WikipediaTurkish Ministry of Culture
2016the complex joined UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List
2 sourcesAnadolu AgencyEnglish Wikipedia

Is there an entrance fee?

No. The minaret stands in the open and costs nothing to see, the mosque welcomes visitors free of charge outside prayer times, and the Mevlevihane museum next door is free too, according to the Turkish Ministry of Culture.

The museum is open daily; from 1 November to 30 April its hours are 8:30–17:30, with last entry at 17:00. There is no ticket desk for the mosque — just leave your shoes at the door. A donation box is there if you want to use it.

What is the Yivli Minaret?

It’s the city’s signature landmark — a fluted red-brick minaret on a heavy stone base, built in the early 13th century under the Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I, not long after the Seljuks took Antalya in 1216. The shaft is made of eight half-round flutes and was once clad in turquoise and dark-blue tiles.

The minaret is the oldest piece of a small complex. Beside it is the mosque — called Yivli Minare, Alaeddin or Ulu Camii — rebuilt with six domes in 1373. Around them are a former Mevlevi dervish lodge, two tombs, the remains of a madrasa and a bathhouse. The whole group has been on UNESCO’s Tentative List since 2016.

Is the Yivli Minaret worth visiting?

Yes, as a short stop — and it’s hard to miss anyway. It sits right where most people enter Kaleiçi, next to the tram, so it costs you nothing but 20–30 minutes. The brickwork, the domes and the quiet dervish lodge make a good first taste of the old town.

It isn’t a half-day sight, though. Don’t travel in from Kemer or Belek just for the minaret: combine it with a walk down to the harbour, Hadrian’s Gate and sunset at Hıdırlık Tower.

The best light is early morning or late afternoon, when the brick glows red. At midday in summer the square is hot and short on shade. After dark the minaret is floodlit.

What to see at the complex

  • The minaret itself — stand at the base and look up for the eight flutes, the niches and the last scraps of turquoise tile.
  • The six-domed mosque — reused columns with classical capitals, and a glass floor by the entrance over old water channels found in the 2007–2010 restoration.
  • The Mevlevihane museum — the former lodge of the whirling dervishes: the domed ceremony hall, the cells, robes and objects of the order.
  • Two tombs in the garden above the mosque: Zincirkıran Mehmed Bey (1377) and Nigar Hatun, mother of Prince Korkut.
  • The Atabey Armağan madrasa portal — only the carved gateway survives of the 1239 building.
  • The view from Cumhuriyet Square — the minaret over the rooftops with the harbour and mountains behind.

A short history

An inscription in the niches on the west side names Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I, who ruled from 1220 to 1237. Encyclopedias date the first mosque to around 1230, probably on the site of a ruined Byzantine church; scholars think its west wall is a church survival, which is why the mihrab sits slightly off the direction of Mecca.

That mosque fell into decay, and in 1373 Emir Mehmed Bey of the Hamidid principality built the present one — his name and that of the architect, Balaban et-Tavaşi, are carved over the east door. The top of the minaret burned and was rebuilt in 1954. Until 1972 the mosque housed the Antalya Museum; today it is a working mosque again.

Prayer times today

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Prayer times follow the method of Türkiye’s Presidency of Religious Affairs. Visitors are kept out during prayers: come back 30–40 minutes after one starts. The minaret outside and the Mevlevihane museum aren’t affected.

How to get to the Yivli Minaret

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on footdestinationStreet view

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On foot

  • Hadrian's Gate is about 7 min away on foot.
  • Hıdırlık Tower is about 9 min away on foot.
  • Kaleiçi is about 11 min away on foot.

More tips

  1. Take the heritage tram T2 to Kalekapısı, or the AntRay tram T1 to İsmetpaşa. Pay with a contactless bank card or an Antalyakart.
  2. Walk to the Clock Tower on Kalekapısı Square — right by the T2 stop, about 2 minutes from T1.
  3. Head west from the tower along Cumhuriyet Caddesi; after 2–3 minutes the complex is on your left, just below street level. You’ll see the minaret long before you get there.
  4. From the airport, T1 runs from Terminal 1 to İsmetpaşa in about 50 minutes. Terminal 2 has no tram — take a taxi or transfer, about 25–30 minutes in light traffic.
  5. Carry on downhill through Kaleiçi to the harbour, or walk 10 minutes east to Hadrian’s Gate.

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Yivli Minaret vs Hadrian’s Gate vs Hıdırlık Tower

Yivli Minaretyou are here13th-century Seljuk minaret and mosqueNorth edge of Kaleiçi, by the Clock TowerFree20–30 minMorning or evening
Hadrian’s Gate2nd-century Roman triumphal gateEast edge of KaleiçiFree≈ 15 minEvening, floodlit
Hıdırlık TowerRound Roman tower above the seaSouth tip, Karaalioğlu ParkFree, no access inside20–30 minSunset

All three are Antalya icons on one old-town walk. Start at the minaret by the tram and finish with sunset at Hıdırlık Tower.

Antalya’s historic sights compared

Every historic sight in Antalya rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Hadrian's Gate4820 minFree6 min walk
Yivli Minaretyou are here4520 minFree—
Hıdırlık Tower4430 minFree10 min walk
Kaleiçi402 hFree10 min walk
Antalya Museum351 h 30 minClosed: demolished, new one being built38 min walk
Perge261 h 30 minAbout €11 for foreign visitors15.6 km
Aspendos222 h€15 for foreigners, checking42.0 km
Termessos213 hPaid, price being verified23.9 km

The old town in half a day

The minaret by the tram, the Roman gate, the lanes and harbour, then sunset at Hıdırlık Tower. Add them to your route in one tap — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Yivli Minaretyou are here20 min · Free
  2. 6 min walk from the previous stopHadrian's Gate20 min · Free
  3. 11 min walk from the previous stopKaleiçi2 h · Free, open 24/7
  4. 3 min walk from the previous stopHıdırlık Tower30 min · Free, outside only

4 places · about 3 h 30 min with walks · 20 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Hadrian's Gate

Antalya, Turkey

20 min · Free · 6 min walk

Hıdırlık Tower

Antalya, Turkey

30 min · Free, outside only · 10 min walk

Kaleiçi

Antalya, Turkey

2 h · Free, open 24/7 · 10 min walk

Antalya Museum

Antalya, Turkey

1 h 30 min · Closed: demolished, new one being built · 38 min walk

How to do it right

  • Start your day here: the tram is two steps away and everything else in the old town is downhill.
  • For the classic shot, go up to Cumhuriyet Square — minaret, domes, sea and mountains in one frame.
  • The Mevlevihane museum is free and rarely busy — give it at least 15 minutes.
  • On Fridays around midday the mosque is full; come in the morning or mid-afternoon.
  • Too hot by day? Come back after dinner in Kaleiçi, when the minaret is lit.
  • If you want the history explained on the spot, a guided old-town walk usually starts right here.

Questions

Is the Yivli Minaret free to visit?

Yes. The minaret is outdoors, the mosque is free outside prayer times and the Mevlevihane museum next door is free as well.

Can you climb the Yivli Minaret?

No — the 90-step staircase inside leads to the muezzin’s balcony and isn’t open to visitors. You see the minaret from outside.

How tall is the Yivli Minaret?

About 38 m according to Wikipedia and Anadolu Agency; some Turkish sources give about 30 m.

When was the Yivli Minaret built?

Under the Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I, between 1220 and 1237. The mosque beside it dates from 1373.

What are the opening hours?

The minaret can be seen any time. The mosque opens outside prayer times. The Mevlevihane museum is open daily, 8:30–17:30 from November to April.

How do I get to the Yivli Minaret?

Heritage tram T2 to Kalekapısı or AntRay T1 to İsmetpaşa, then a 2–3-minute walk west past the Clock Tower along Cumhuriyet Caddesi.

Is the Yivli Minaret worth visiting?

Yes, as a 20–30-minute stop at the start of a Kaleiçi walk. It isn’t worth a separate trip from the resorts on its own.

What does “Yivli” mean?

“Fluted” in Turkish — the shaft is made of eight half-round brick flutes.

What should I wear to the Yivli Minaret Mosque?

Covered shoulders and knees; women need a headscarf. Shoes come off at the door.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Türkiye Müzeleri): Antalya Mevlevihanesi Müzesi — address, hours and admission, 30.10.2026
  • KÜRE encyclopedia: Yivli Minare Külliyesi
  • English Wikipedia: Yivli Minaret Mosque; Turkish Wikipedia: Yivli Minare; Wikidata Q1753844
  • Anadolu Agency, 3 August 2018 — the minaret and the UNESCO Tentative List
  • Türkiye newspaper (gzt.com), 14 December 2024 — Antalya’nın simgesi Yivli Minareli Camii
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·
How we checkedQuestions follow what English-speaking travellers search for: entrance fee, can you climb it, how tall, history, hours, how to get there, is it worth it. Museum hours and free entry come from the official Turkish Ministry of Culture page; it lists winter hours from 1 November to 30 April, while its summer period is mislabelled, so we don’t show summer hours. There is no official page for mosque visiting times — they depend on prayers — so that row is marked “verifying”. Sources disagree on the height: Wikipedia and Anadolu Agency give 38 m, the KÜRE encyclopedia and Türkiye newspaper about 30 m; we show both. Guides disagree on climbing the minaret and we found no official permission, so we say it’s seen from outside and mark it “verifying”. Tram and airport details follow Wikivoyage and YesGo’s Kaleiçi page and are also “verifying”.

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