Maiden’s Tower, or Kiz Kulesi in Turkish, is a familiar landmark for all who sail or visit Istanbul. This iconic tower lies on a tiny islet at the southern entrance of the Bosphorus, just off the coast of Üsküdar. It is a building surrounded by myth and legend, with a rich and intriguing history dating back to the fourth century.

The History of Maiden’s Tower

Maiden’s Tower is located just 200m off the coast of Üsküdar. Although it is hard to pinpoint precisely when the tower was built, the architectural style suggests it dates back to around 340 BCE.

The early history of Maiden’s Tower is hazy. Following the naval victory at Cyzicus, historians believe the islet became a watch station for ships, ordered by ancient Athenian general Alcibiades. Byzantine Emperor Alexius Comnenus then built a defensive wall and wooden tower on the island that connected to another similar tower on the European side of Constantinople. The underwater remains of this stone wall are still visible today. In 1453, during the conquest of Constantinople, the tower was used as a Byzantine garrison. It then became a watchtower for the Ottoman Turks during the reign of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror.

Following the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople, the tower was replaced by a wooden structure that was destroyed in a fire in 1721. A leading architect was then commissioned to rebuild a stone version in 1763, and from 1829 the building was used as a quarantine station during the cholera epidemic. During the reign of Sultan Mahmud II, the tower was restored yet again, with the Sultans signature inscribed into the marble by the famous calligrapher Rakim Efendi, and by 1857, a lantern was added and it became a lighthouse.

Maiden’s Tower has a long past and was used for many purposes. In 1963 the tower appeared in the background of the James Bond film From Russia With Love, and in 1998, it again featured in the Bond movie, The World Is Not Enough. Today, Maiden’s Tower is a popular tourist attraction offering fabulous views over the former Ottoman capital. It is also a museum and has a restaurant serving traditional Turkish food on the ground floor. It is particularly impressive at sunset. If you would like to arrange a visit, please CONTACT US.

The legend of Hero and Leander (Leandros).

Many sites in Türkiye are the subject of myth and legend, and Maiden’s Tower is no exception. You may have heard the tower called Leander’s or Leandros Tower, this is in reference to the ancient Greek legend of Hero and Leander. It is said that a young man named Leander (Leandros) fell in love with a priestess called Hero, who lived in the tower. Each night Hero would light a fire to guide her loved one to the island. One night, the fire went out during a bad storm, leading Leander to lose his way and drown. Hero was beside herself with grief, so much so that she threw herself from the top of the tower. They say this is why it became known as Leander’s Tower.

The Emperor’s Daughter

Another legend suggests that an oracle told an emperor that a snake would bite his beloved daughter on her 18^th birthday, and she would die. The emperor feared the oracle’s words, so before his daughter’s birthday, he ordered a tower to be built on the island to keep her safe from snakes. Her birthday came, and the emperor took his daughter an exotic fruit basket as a gift. Little did he know that a venomous asp would appear from the basket and bite his daughter just as the fortuneteller predicted. Some believe this is the reason the tower is known as Maiden’s Tower.