Sayı 11- Ocak/Mart 2013 - Antalya Rehberler Odası

Fotoğraf: Halil Arıkanbridge provides no evidencefor it, there is the strong possibilitythat the largely in situinscription on this bridge todaymarks the subsequent repairof this bridge, rather than itsconstruction from scratch by1239-40 by Sultan Giyathsed-Din Keyhusrev II. That theinscription was built into theouter face of the parapet, notwithin the body of the bridge,may also indicate possiblerestoration, but not necessarilyso. The probable renovationrather than construction bySultan Giyathsed-Din KeyhüsrevII in 1239-40 of the Seljukbridge may have become necessaryfor a number of reasonsincluding the completionof this palace, and, given themention of a prosperous cityand 4,000 Rum Seljuk troopsstationed at Belkis in additionto the palace staff and officials,the maintenance of this bridgewas important, ensuring connectionsbetween Antalya andAlanya and further east, as inthe absence of a bridge whenthe river was in spate this bodyof troops would have been marooned,restricted to the westernbank.Ibn Bibi relates in his workconsiderable information concerningthe palaces and pavilionsthat were constructed andused during the reign of SultanAlaed-Din Keykubat I, however,he fails to mention the construction,nor does he makeany reference to the use of thishuge palace complex duringthis Sultan’s reign, a palaceonly rivaled in area by that atKubadabad. Its absence fromibn Bibi’s text would suggest,given his references to thisSultan’s construction activityand his record of this sultan’svisits to palaces, that it didnot exist as a palace duringhis reign and it would seemmost improbable that it wouldhave been constructed earlier,given that it stood at the edgeof Seljuk territory prior to theconquest of Alanya in 1221-2.It is noteworthy that ibn Bibi isaltogether far less forthcomingconcerning the continuationof construction activityunder Sultan Giyathsed-DinKeyhüsrev II, who was doubtlessinfluenced in this activityby Sadred–Din Köpek untilhe was murdered in 1240.Ibn Bibi does not mention theconstruction of any building orderedby Sultan Giyathsed-DinKeyhüsrev II during this Sultan’sentire reign of 9 years,with the exception of the cityentertainment pavilions-köşküconstructed on the orders ofthis Sultan. However, the survivingbuilding inscriptionsfrom this Sultan’s reign paintan entirely different picture ofconstruction activity between1237 and 1240, including thebuildings constructed in thisregion mentioned below andalso including for example,the construction of the vastAğzıkara Han and the completionof the greater part of themassive Karatay han by Kayseriin 1240, the constructionof which was only begun underSultan Alaed-Din Keykubat I.It is the combination of anumber of factors that leadsme to suggest that Sultan Giyathsed-DinKeyhüsrev II wasresponsible for the constructionof this palace, not only itsabsence from ibn Bibi’s text,but also the completion of thebulk of the Kubadabad palacecomplex and the Kubadiye by1236, which would have freedup craftsmen trained in tileproduction and in executingthe same repertory of palacedesigns on tile work, as alsothe painters and stucco workersto work elsewhere, whothen worked on the tile-work,stuccowork, plastering andpaintwork of the huge palaceat Belkis-Aspendos; as alsothe importance that SultanGiyathsed-Din Keyhüsrev IIattached to this entire region,made clear from the structureshe and his officials orderedconstructed within it. The majorityof the structures that SultanGiyathsed–Din KeyhüsrevII directly ordered to be erectedduring his reign lay within thisregion of south western Anatolia;in addition to the bridge orrepair thereof at Aspendos of1239-40, they include:Şarapsa han on the Antalya-Alanyaroad, the largeEğridir Taş han of 1237-8built outside Eğridir, Kargihan by Manavgat, Kırkgözhan, İncir han and Susuzhan on the Antalya–Bur-