Neomedievalısm And Its Architectural Traces In The Mediterranean: The Case Of Antalya

Postmodern Neomedievalism (or Postmodern Neo-medievalism) is a concept that emerged with the combination of the words “neo” and “medievalism.” Neomedievalism is now commonly employed as a concept and methodological approach along with numerous applications, wherein the historical reality presented by medievalism is reinterpreted and modified by incorporating alternative contemporary frameworks. While this reinterpretation and modification can be considered an alternative processing of history, it can also be presented as the continuation or re-birth of Medieval culture in which medieval elements are combined with (post)modern concepts. As this paper argues, such “new” but “medieval” buildings are often surrounded by fantastic sculptures of creatures that existed in the minds of our medieval grandparents. It is possible to see the effects of Neo-Medievalism in hotels and amusement parks situated in Antalya, which resemble medieval buildings with fantastic creatures of the Medieval world. Thus, the theoretical frameworks that guided this study are Neomedievalism and Medievalism, which theoretically nurtures Neomedievalism. Using this framework, the existence of Neomedievalism in the present-day Mediterranean culture is studied in terms of its architectural dimensions. The scope of the study is conceptually Medievalism and Neomedievalism, and the study is limited to the effect of Neomedievalism on the architectural features of the buildings in Antalya. The study results are limited to two buildings: The Land of Legends and Aktur Park, where various medieval designs and objects are apparent. Results show that Neomedievalism is influential in Antalya, where tangible medieval structures and objects exist. Keywords: Antalya, Medievalism, Neomedievalism, Tourism, Umberto Eco