Explore Maiden’s Tower in Istanbul: Its story, location, and tourist activities

The Maiden’s Tower, standing resolutely in the sea off Istanbul’s Asian coast, is a place where reality meets legend. This enchanting tower, known as "Kız Kulesi" in Turkish, has inspired numerous tales that blend history with myth, making it a captivating mystery that draws both locals and tourists from around the world.

Maiden’s Tower Story

Many tales have been told about the Maiden’s Tower story, implanted in the sea against Istanbul’s Asian side coast; still, the charming tower’s story is swinging between reality and legend.

Many strange legends are related to the Maiden’s Tower, making it a mystery at sea and a unique place that attracts Turkish people and thousands of foreign tourists every year.

Let us shed light on the most famous legends:

One of the most well-known tales surrounding the Maiden's Tower is about a monarch who erected the tower to protect his daughter after being informed by a soothsayer that she would die from a snakebite. Despite his attempts, a snake secreted in a fruit basket ultimately found its way to the tower, resulting in the princess' terrible death.

Another legend For the Maiden’s Tower

According to gossip, a young man known as Leandros fell in love with a nun named Hero, who lived in the tower. Every night, Hero built a fire to guide her lover to the islet. However, one night, the fire was put out by a storm, and Leandros lost his way and drowned in the Bosphorus. Hero was so overwhelmed by grief and loss that she committed suicide.

The tower is made up of six floors, 23 meters high, connected by spiral stairs that are used to move around and enjoy eating at restaurants and cafes. For years, the tower was left deserted until it was used as a station for ships coming from the Black Sea in 1110. After the Ottoman Army conquered Constantinople in 1453, it was used as a surveillance tower until an earthquake came on some parts in 1509. 

After it was restored, it was used as a beacon until 1829. Then it was restored by Sultan Mahmud II in1832. Nowadays, it is a tourist attraction that can be reached by boats on a 10-minute trip.

Maiden Towers' Cultural Significance

With their combination of myth and history, maiden towers provide an intriguing window into the people and cultures who constructed them. They frequently represent the ideals and anxieties of their eras and stand as symbols of love, sacrifice, and protection. These towers never fail to enthrall visitors, whether it is because of their stunning architecture or the stories that surround them.

The Maiden’s Tower Photos

The Maiden’s Tower from Inside

There is a group of restaurants serving a wide variety of local traditional Turkish cuisine. The tower has action figures for the maiden embodying different stories and some other models for the tower. 

There is a telescope for watching the city’s monuments, such as Dolmabahace Palace, which has more than 55.000 historical antiques, Sultan Ahmed district, Ayasofia Mosque, Mimar Sinan district, as well as huge ships crossing the Bosphorus.

Activities at the Maiden’s Tower

Apart from being a tourist destination, the tower was opened to be a restaurant. Reservation is required before visiting for lunch and dinner. The restaurant’s menu has the Ottoman traditional cuisine. You can get to the restaurant from Kabatas every hour from 09.00 a.m. - 06.00 p.m. 

You can take charming photo ops in the middle of the sea, where Istanbul’s Asian side is behind you and Istanbul’s European side in front of you. 

Many wooden seats are spread along the tower’s Cornish. You can also have breakfast, lunch, or dinner at the restaurants overlooking the sea.

FAQ about the Maiden’s Tower

Where is the Maiden’s Tower located?

The Maiden's Tower is ideally located between the neighborhoods of Üsküdar and Harem on a small islet in the Bosphorus Strait, off the Asian side of Istanbul. It is a must-see landmark for both locals and visitors because of its distinctive setting, which adds to its allure and mystery. The tower, which provides lovely views of the surrounding seas and the Istanbul cityscape, is conveniently reachable by boat.

How to get to the Maiden’s Tower?

You can get to the Maiden’s Tower from the European side of Istanbul via Marmaray Metro from Yenikapi station to Uskudar station on a 10-minute trip.

Or you can get to the Maiden’s Tower by ships heading from Istanbul’s European side to the Asian side from Eminonu.

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Edited by Safaraq

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