The Maiden's Tower
An islet mid-current, with two thousand years of usefulness and a better legend.
- Builtan islet in use since antiquity; the present tower is 18th–19th century
- DistrictÜsküdar
It has been a customs post, a lighthouse, a quarantine station and a signal station. It sits exactly where the Bosphorus current forces ships to pass, which is why there has always been something on it.
The legend says an emperor built it to hide his daughter from a prophecy about a serpent. The serpent arrived in a basket of figs. Legends rarely end well.
It is visible from the whole Asian shore and half the European one. At sunset, from Üsküdar, it stands against the light.
What to look for
- The crossing, which is half the outing: a few minutes from Üsküdar or Kabataş.
- The view back at the city — the only one where you see the historic peninsula head-on and from below.
- The terrace, at water level, with the ships going past alongside.
- Sunset from Üsküdar, without crossing at all: the tower stands against the light.
Before you go
- The islet is small: an hour, counting the crossing both ways.
- The boat does not run in bad weather. Have a fallback if the day is windy.
- Pair it with Üsküdar, which is on the same side and almost never makes an itinerary.
- You do not have to go out to see it: from Üsküdar you see all of it.
