Hadrian's Gate

History and General Information / Local Legends and Folklore Hadrian's Gate (popularly known as Üçkapılar) is a 1900-year-old magnificent architectural masterpiece, built as a monumental triumphal arch on the eastern city wall of the city in honor of the visit of the Roman Emperor Hadrian to Antalya in 130 AD. It is one of the best-preserved monumental gates of the Roman Empire in the Mediterranean with its three-arched marble passage, Corinthian capital columns, and rich flower and fruit reliefs on the ceiling cassettes. Among the defense towers rising on both sides of the gate, the southern tower is the Julia Sancta tower from the Roman period, while the northern tower was rebuilt with Turkish architecture in the 13th century during the reign of Seljuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubad I. According to local legend, it is said that Belkıs, the Queen of Sheba, passed through this gate on her way to visit the Prophet Solomon, and that the wheel tracks of Roman chariots that have passed for centuries in the deep stone grooves underneath are an eternal seal of time. Geographical Structure, Altitude and Natural Features The gate is located at an altitude of approximately 38 meters above sea level, at the urban border where the main artery of the city, Atatürk Street, meets the Historical Kaleiçi. The original ancient Roman stone path under the monumental gate is approximately 2 meters below the modern street level. The monument is surrounded by palm trees, bougainvilleas and centuries-old olive trees. Visiting Hours, Days and Entrance Fees