Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±

FSM Bridge Night View Bosphorus of Istanbul

Getty Images/iStockphoto


Prior to construction of the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge in the 1980s, this massive fortress was the major landmark on this part of the Bosphorus. Built by order of Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 at the narrowest point of the strait, it and Anadolu Hisarı, the castle that had been built on the opposite shore in 1393–1395, enabled the Ottomans to control all water traffic, cutting the city off from resupply by sea and contributing significantly to the Ottoman defeat of Byzantine Constantinople.

Legend tells us that to speed Rumeli Hisarı's completion, Mehmet ordered each of his three viziers to take responsibility for one of the three main towers. If a vizier's tower construction was not completed to a tight four-month schedule, he would pay with his life. Needless to say, the work was completed on time.

The useful military life of the fortress lasted less than one year. After the Conquest of Constantinople, it was used as a glorified Bosphorus toll booth for a while, then a military barracks, a prison and finally an open-air theatre.

Within the walls are ill-kempt grounds and the minaret of a ruined mosque. Steep stairs (with no barriers, so beware!) lead up the ramparts; the views from here are magnificent.

Next to the fortress are the Rumeli Hisarı bus stop and a clutch of cafes and restaurants that are particularly busy on weekends.


Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±'s must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. AÅŸiyan Museum

0.21 MILES

It’s quite a hike up to this small house-museum, named after the Turkish word for ‘bird’s nest’, but the stunning Bosphorus views may well inspire you to…

2. Borusan Contemporary

0.32 MILES

Housed in an eccentric-looking turreted building known locally as the Perili Köşk (Haunted Mansion), this cultural centre tucked under the western…

5. Anadolu Hisarı

0.58 MILES

The Fortress of Anatolia (Asia) was built by order of Sultan Beyazıt I in 1393–1395 and it was the place from which he launched the first Ottoman attack…

6. Küçüksu Kasrı

0.63 MILES

This ornate hunting lodge was built in 1856–57 by order of Sultan Abdül Mecit. Earlier sultans had built wooden kiosks in this idyllic spot where the…

7. Hekimbasi Salih Efendi Yalı

0.66 MILES

Extensively damaged in 2018 when an out-of-control Maltese-flagged tanker crashed into it, this 18th-century yalı just north of Anadolu Hisarı was built…

8. Kont Ostrorog Yalı

0.69 MILES

Built in the 19th century by Count Leon Ostrorog, a Polish advisor to the Ottoman court, this huge red yalı was visited by French novelist Pierre Loti in…