Maiden’s Tower , which does not get old and fascinates with its beauty even though it has fallen over the centuries, contains legends as well as its history.. I am giving information about this historical beauty.
The Maiden’s Tower has been swinging in all its beauty in the middle of the Bosphorus for years.. Even though it is quiet, it still manages to attract everyone’s attention.. The reason for this is not only its unique qualities in terms of its location or its fascinating architecture.. It also has a deep-rooted history.. Even in the years when Istanbul was far from being Istanbul, it stood where it was.. And this piles up questions in one’s mind; Who did it, why did it, how did it do it, when did it do it? Of course, these questions came to my mind as well; I sat, researched, wrote.
Maiden’s Tower: A Little History A Little Secret
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In fact, the Maiden’s Tower is one of the first symbols that come to mind when Istanbul is mentioned, but despite this, it is one of the works about which the least information is known.. Moreover, there are differences in the available information.. But I say the ambassador will not fail, and I will begin.
I will take you all the way back to BC.. Let me take you to 400 years. Because, according to some sources, the existence of the tower is mentioned in these years.. The tower was built by the Greeks on this small island, which was thought to have been formed by breaking away from the Asian lands at that time.. The purpose of Alcibiades, a commander, in having the tower built, was to control the ships passing through the Bosphorus and to collect taxes.. That is, it creates a point that acts as a maintenance customs.
The earliest finds lead us to BC. Although it takes 400 years, the Maiden’s Tower has spent more time and seen a lot of civilization before it took on the task of being one of the most romantic places for dinner.
Roman Civilization Has Also Gone
MS. It is said to be 1110 years in the continuation of the story. Emperor Manuel Komnenos thought just like the Greek commander and had a tower built on the place where the Maiden’s Tower islet is both to control the Bosphorus and to collect taxes from the passing commercial ships.
Come on, let’s see that Komnenos has exaggerated a bit.. He had a thick chain pulled from the European side to the tower to ensure tight control.. However, the chain was not very useful.. Because it was so big and thick, the rafts carrying the chain could not withstand its weight.
The Roman Period did not have much commercial importance because it was not in its heyday financially Maiden’s Tower. As a matter of fact, it did not play an important role for the coming Conquest of Istanbul.. It was more of a place of isolation.
When the Ottomans took Istanbul…
The Maiden’s Tower belongs to the Ottomans, of course.. Meeting a different culture. Moreover, since it coincided with the heyday of the Ottoman Empire, it was never used as a defense point.. However, I can still say that it had very different functions.
The location of the Maiden’s Tower in the Ottoman period allowed some sultans to rest here.. It is rumored that I. Abdülhamit listened to the sound of the waves until morning.. However, it has been used in addition to functions worthy of its romantic and atmosphere.
It is known that executions took place in the Maiden’s Tower, where guns were fired during some religious ceremonies and holidays.. Apart from that, the 19 that hit Istanbul. It was also used to isolate patients during the plague epidemic in the twentieth century.
A Secular Era Begins
And the Maiden’s Tower still stands there. Before our time it was used as a lighthouse. Later it functioned as a radar station for soldiers. The current state of the tower, whose foundation was also strengthened, was the point it reached at the end of the years.
Ferries departing from Üsküdar can be used to go to the island.. Subject to an entrance fee. However, the pleasure of having breakfast at the Maiden’s Tower, standing on a small island and watching Istanbul, which has been the apple of the eye of many states, is of course priceless.
Of course, there are legends apart from all these known ones.. Apart from all this information, shouldn’t we have some fairy tales? Well, sure…
You can read my Galata Tower article by clicking here.
Centuries Tell Tales
What fairy tales… At the beginning of the article, I started with Ancient Greece, and I thought we should start the legends from there.
Hero was one of the priestesses of Aphrodite, and she was beautiful.. However, the path he chose did not allow him to experience love.. Couldn’t be with men. However, he saw Leandros, a priest, when he went to the shore and took what was needed for a ceremony.. The two are stuck with each other. Every night Hero lit a light from the tower. Leandros came to Hero after swimming in the cold waters of the Bosphorus.. Until one night, the light of the lantern went out and Leandros disappeared in the waters in front of Hero’s eyes.
Another Maiden’s Tower island legend comes from the Ottoman Empire. The Sultan learned the prophecy that his daughter would die.. He locked her in a tower to protect her from death by a snake.. The water he eats and the drink he drinks are under a thousand kinds of control.. However, fate… the girl got sick. A young doctor cured her. Those who were happy with this happy news sent gifts from all over the world.. However, a snake came out of one of the grape baskets and the prophecy came true.
And one last tale… Battal Gazi… He participated in the siege of Istanbul with the army of the Islamic Caliph Harun Reşid.. However, no result was obtained and the army was withdrawn.. Battal, on the other hand, did not leave Üsküdar.. He fell in love with the daughter of one of the Byzantine governors called Tekfur.. The governor locked her in the tower to separate her daughter from Battal.. But what a remedy… He couldn’t prevent Battal. Battal, who took both the girl and the treasures, has found his love.
Both this hundreds of years of history and such legends… Wouldn’t it be nice to have a dinner by booking the Maiden’s Tower now? Especially if you have a loved one, it would be very nice… =)
istanbul Maiden’s Tower
