In the heart of Istanbul – the ancient city once called Byzantium, then Constantinople, and then New Rome – the Maiden's Tower, known as Kız Kulesi, stands proud on a small rock in the middle of the Bosphorus. This symbolic building has served as a point of connection between two continents for more than 2,500 years.
The road to the tower starts at Karaköy Pier, where visitors from all over the world stop to explore the waterfront restaurants and watch the ships pass through the strait. With more than 23 million foreign tourists in 2024, Istanbul ranks as the second most visited destination in the world, according to Euromonitor International.
From the pier, a tourist boat takes visitors to the Maiden's Tower. During the short and panoramic journey, they can see the vibrancy of the Bosphorus, where about 30,000 ships pass each year. "It is one of the busiest straits in the world," historian Saffet Emre Tonguç tells CNN.
A tower of many mysteries
Originally built in 410 BC as a customs point for the control of ships sailing from the Black Sea, the Maiden's Tower has had a rich and varied history. During the Byzantine era, it was transformed into a defensive tower by the emperor Manuel I Komnenos, while in the Ottoman period, Sultan Mehmet II strengthened it by turning it into a stone fortress.
From the 17th century, the tower began to serve as a lighthouse, a function it held for a long time. In the 1830s, during cholera epidemics, its isolation from the city made it ideal as a quarantine hospital. In the 1980s, the tower was used to store cyanide, while in 1992, a group of poets declared it the "Republic of Poetry".
The legends that give life to the tower
The Maiden Tower is full of myths. One of the most popular legends tells of a king who built the tower to protect his daughter from a prophecy of a fatal snake bite. However, a snake hiding in a fruit basket made the prediction come true.
Another story relates to Ovid's myth of Leander, who swam every night to the tower to meet his beloved. One fateful night, he drowns and his love takes a life of its own. The tower has even been called the partner of the Gallata Tower in an imaginary romantic relationship, symbolizing the connection between the two coasts of the city.
Restoration of a historical monument
After a two-year restoration, Kulla e Vajza reopened in March 2024 as a modern monument-museum, writes A2 CNN. Architect Han Tümertekin and his team aimed to restore its original characteristics, lost by the interventions of the 20th century.
Today, visitors can climb the new interior staircase and enjoy a wonderful view of Istanbul from its observation deck. After exploring the tower and its small island, many enjoy a drink at the simple cafe nearby.
An eternal symbol of the city
Although a visit to the Maiden's Tower costs 27 euros plus 5 euros for boat transport, it remains a unique experience. For those who have a ticket for the museums of Istanbul, the entrance is more convenient, although its price is 105 euros.
Tonguç considers the restoration a necessary step for the protection of this ancient monument. "Istanbul's historical monuments were built to withstand centuries of earthquakes, floods and fires," he says. "They are built to last forever."
In the middle of the Bosphorus, the Maiden's Tower continues to be a symbol of Istanbul's history and magic, a link between different continents and eras. (A2 Televizion)
A2 CNN Livestream
MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
