In Antalya, one tree is over 2000 years old, and three trees are over 1000 years old
According to the website established as part of a project initiated by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change for the promotion and protection of registered monumental trees, four trees from Antalya have been included among Turkey’s oldest trees.
The website anitagaclar.gov.tr, created for the promotion and protection of monumental trees that are thousands of years old and legally protected, features 883 out of more than 10,000 registered monumental trees across Turkey. The site provides data on the trees, such as their province, district, age, height, trunk diameter, and crown diameter, and also shares their historical stories.
UNDER PROTECTION
The monumental trees, noted for having a lifespan long enough to bridge the past with the present and the future, are described as having a special place in the local history, mystical culture, and folklore. It is emphasized that, according to the regulations on the Identification, Registration, and Approval of Protected Areas, monumental trees classified as natural assets must be protected with all necessary measures due to their unique features and preserved as part of the natural heritage for future generations.
RESPECTED NATURAL MONUMENTS
The protection of monumental trees, which are considered undeniable treasures connecting the past to the future due to their majestic appearance and long lifespan, is noted to develop a sense of heritage among young people and contribute to the deepening of love for nature and environmental awareness.
66 TREE SPECIES
The project encompasses 66 species of trees that have witnessed thousands of years of history from all corners of Anatolia. These include cedar, chestnut, eastern plane tree, olive, juniper, Taurus cedar, walnut, mastic tree, false palm, pistachio, mammoth tree, pine, oak, cornelian cherry, yew, poplar, pistachio, hornbeam, cypress, medlar, palm, beech, and lime trees, with numerous varieties.
THE OLDEST ONE IS IN ZONGULDAK
In the Alaplı district of Zonguldak, a yew tree, estimated to be 4,119 years old as of 2024, is recognized as the oldest tree in Turkey. With a crown diameter of 9.5 meters, a trunk diameter of 245 centimeters, and a height of 23 meters, this yew tree dates back to the Bronze Age. The dating of this yew tree, known as the oldest tree in Anatolia and one of the five oldest trees in the world, was conducted through laboratory analysis of annual rings at the Forest Faculty of Karadeniz Technical University. The studies confirmed that the tree is healthy and, provided it is not harmed by humans, could live for at least another 4,000 years.
2 THOUSAND YEARS OLD
The list includes four trees that are over 2 thousand years old. The cedar of Lebanon in Kumluca, Antalya, which is 2,331 years old, stands 25 meters tall with a trunk diameter of 262 centimeters, making it the second oldest tree in Turkey. The eastern plane tree in Onikişubat, Kahramanmaraş, which is 2,284 years old, is the third oldest tree in Turkey. Additionally, the 2,001-year-old aromatic juniper in Taşkent, Konya, and the 2,001-year-old eastern plane tree in Samandağ, Hatay, are also among Turkey's oldest trees.
TALLESТ TREE IS 55 METERS HIGH
The tallest monument tree in Turkey is a 405-year-old fir tree in Torul, Gümüşhane, with a height of 55 meters. Eastern plane trees in Adıyaman Merkez and Gölbaşı, aged 430 and 555 years respectively, as well as a 535-year-old eastern plane tree in Amasya Merkez and a 905-year-old eastern plane tree in Kütahya Simav, all have a height of 40 meters.
WIDEST TRUNK IS 8.8 METERS
The tree with the widest trunk is an 805-year-old eastern plane tree in Bozkurt, Kastamonu, with a trunk diameter of 880 centimeters. An eastern plane tree in Adıyaman Gölbaşı, aged 430 years, has a trunk diameter of 860 centimeters and is in second place. The 2,284-year-old eastern plane tree in Onikişubat, Kahramanmaraş, has a trunk diameter of 760 centimeters and is in third place. The 2,005-year-old eastern plane tree in Samandağ, Hatay, has a diameter of 750 centimeters and is in fourth place. The 505-year-old cork oak in Aksaray Merkez has a trunk diameter of 608 centimeters and is in fifth place.
1000 YEARS OLD TREES
The list includes 22 trees that have surpassed 1,000 years of age. The monument trees, along with their locations, species, and ages, are as follows:
Adıyaman Merkez: Eastern plane tree, 1,096 years old
Ankara Nallıhan: Aromatic juniper, 1,087 years old
Antalya Elmalı: Aromatic juniper, 1,705 years old
Korkuteli: Eastern plane tree, 1,005 years old
İbradı: Chestnut, 1,005 years old
Burdur Ağlasun: Eastern plane tree, 1,205 years old
Altınyayla: Cedar, 1,205 years old
Düzce Cumayeri: Eastern plane tree, 1,105 years old
Elazığ Palu: Eastern plane tree, 1,151 years old
Hatay Merkez: Olive tree, 1,355 years old
Isparta Yalvaç: Aromatic juniper, 1,105 years old
İstanbul Sarıyer: London plane tree, 1,385 years old
Konya Güneysınır: Aromatic juniper, 1,005 years old
Kütahya Merkez: Sessile oak, 1,150 years old
Manisa Kırkağaç: Olive tree, 1,655 years old
Mersin Mut: Olive tree, 1,304 years old
Mezitli: Olive tree, 1,004 years old
Muğla Yatağan: Two olive trees, 1,005 and 1,505 years old
Sakarya Taraklı: Eastern plane tree, 1,085 years old
Akyazı: Eastern plane tree, 1,065 years old
Şanlıurfa Akçakale: Olive tree, 1,330 years old
