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History Of Maiden Tower
The Maiden’s Tower's history dates back to BCE 410. On the island where Maiden's Tower presently stands, a customs post was established in the fifth century BCE. It was constructed to check and collect taxes from ships coming out of the Black Sea.
The Eastern Roman Emperor, Manuel Komnenos the First constructed a defence structure on the island in the 12th century. A chain was positioned between Maiden’s tower and another tower near the Mangana Monastery in Sarayburnu. That was the area where the sea fortifications were rebuilt. It was done to regulate ships' entry and departure via the Bosphorus.
This is where Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror (Fatih Sultan Mehmet) had a new castle constructed following the Conquest. The castle was guarded by a unit. The Mehter watch started to play in the tower every night after supper and at daybreak. Cannon rounds from the Maiden's Tower were customarily fired on vacations, during the sultans' excursions to the coastal palaces, and upon their accession to the throne.
Sultan III, Ahmed's Grand Vizier, Nevşehirli Damat İbrahim Pasha, built a lantern on the northern part of the wooden tower. It used to light the path for ships arriving from the Black Sea and Marmara at night. Since then, the Maiden’s Tower has mostly been used as a lighthouse and has stopped being a castle.
The tower was transformed into a quarantine hospital between 1830 and 1831 to stop the cholera outbreak from spreading throughout the city. Many patients were isolated in this newly constructed hospital, and quarantine was implemented to stop the disease's spread. When cholera struck Trabzon in 1847, both patients and travellers were quarantined at the tower. This was marked as an important event in Maiden Tower’s history.
A lantern was installed on the tower by a French manufacturer. Since then, it has been given to the Lighthouses Administration. The tower lantern has automated lighting systems installed. Apart from minor renovations, the underwater and subsurface cables of the overhead line were fixed. The lantern was also used as a gas tank after it was given to the Istanbul Port Authority.
For a while, the Maiden's Tower served as a radar station as well. To ensure the safety of maritime transit, a foghorn was blown in low-visibility conditions and a light was switched on in the tower in the evenings. Moreover, until 1983, only two Maritime Enterprises officers were responsible for the round-the-clock notice and supervision of all ships traversing the strait.
The Ministry of National Defense used this site as a radar and surveillance station. The Maiden's Tower was turned up to Türkiye's Maritime and Port Administration in 1983. The structure served as a cyanide storage facility as well. In 1992, The İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality Council decided to transfer the cyanide to a storage site in Tuzla. In May 1992, Poets occupied the tower in May 1992 and dubbed it the “Republic of Poetry”.
The Maiden’s Tower was given to the Naval Forces Command in 1994 by the Ministry of Transportation. Every addition installed during the 1944 refurbishment was taken apart. Owing to damage from the 1999 Marmara earthquake, the tower was strengthened with a steel belt. The floor of the entire structure was fortified with radius foundations. Following an extended restoration effort, it was rented out for tourism.
FAQs
When was Maiden's Tower built?
The Athenian general Alcibiades constructed the tower in 408 BC as a customs station for ships arriving from the Black Sea. Later, the Byzantine emperors restored it and utilised it as a fortification tower. Sultan Mehmed II destroyed the tower during the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453 and rebuilt it.
What legends are connected to Maiden's Tower?
Maiden’s Tower, also known as Leander’s Tower, is steeped in legends. The name "Maiden’s Tower" comes from a Turkish legend about a princess imprisoned there, who died from a serpent bite as foretold. Another story in Maiden’s Tower Istanbul's history was the Greek myth of Hero and Leander's tragic love story.
What has Maiden's Tower been used for over the years?
Over the ages, Maiden's Tower served many roles, including a lighthouse, a military tower, and a hub for merchant tax collection. Then, it was converted into a radio station and quarantine hospital during the 1830 cholera epidemic. After several restorations, the tower is now open to the public as a tourist destination.
How has Maiden's Tower changed in appearance over time?
Maiden Tower's history has seen it transform over centuries. It changed from a wooden structure built by Alcibiades in 408 BC to a fortified Byzantine tower, and later an Ottoman lighthouse with artistic elements. The 2023 restoration returned it to its early 19th-century Ottoman appearance, enhancing structural integrity and adding modern facilities.
Why is Maiden's Tower important to Istanbul?
Originally a customs station for Black Sea ships, Maiden's Tower was later rebuilt by Byzantine emperors and connected to the Asian shore with a chain to block enemy ships. Evolving from a defensive structure to a lighthouse and cultural landmark, it symbolizes Istanbul's strategic and cultural heritage. You can learn about its history and enjoy the panoramic views of the city on your visit.