You should see Maiden's Tower in Istanbul

Istanbul is one of the most visited cities in the world. In this wonderful city, there are historical and interesting buildings dating from the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire. I wrote some information about Maiden's Tower in this article. There is a restaurant on the Tower. Wedding organizations are also held.

This unique structure, dating back 2500 years ago, dates back to the history of Istanbul and has witnessed the existence of this city. From ancient times to the Byzantine Empire, from Byzantium to Ottoman Empire, it has existed in all historical periods, with its past beginning in antiquity.

B.C. Maiden's Tower
According to a researcher, Evripidis, a Greek Cypriot from Istanbul, the land part of the forefront of Asian peoples has broken off from the coast in time and an island formed on the Maiden's Tower. It was the first time the rocky castle on the Maiden's Tower was in BC. Quot; At this time, the Athenian commander Alkibiades built a tower on this small island in order to control the ships entering and exiting the Bosphorus and receiving tax. From where Sarayburnu is located, the chain is stretched to the island where it is being used and the tower becomes a customs station that controls the entrance and exit of the Bosphorus. Years after that, BC. In 341 the Greek Commander Chares built a monumental grave on the marble columns for his wife's wife, whom he had been using.

Roman Period
A.D. When it comes to the 1110s, the first distinctive structure (tower) on this small island is built by the Emperor Manuel Comnenos. Between 1143 and 1178, Emperor Manuel, who reigned, built two towers to help defend the city. Emperor Manuel, who built one of these near the Mangana Monastery (owned by Topkapi Palace) and the other where the Maiden's Tower was found, has attached a chain between the two towers to prevent both enemy ships from entering the Bosphorus and passing trade vessels without giving customs tax.

Byzantine Period
The Maiden's Tower, which had been destroyed from time to time and restored, was used as a base by Venetians during the conquest of Istanbul. When Fatih Sultan Mehmet was besieged by Istanbul, a fleet came under the command of Gabriel Treviziano from Venice to help Byzantine bases.

Ottoman Period
After the conquest, Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror breaks down this little castle and instead builds a small kalecik, made of stone, surrounded by crenellations, and places balls here. These tanks, which were put in Kalaya, became an effective weapon for the vessels in the harbor. However, the tower was used as a demonstration platform rather than a defense fortress in the Ottoman period and the Mehterler studied nevbet (a kind of National Anthem) with the ball guns. Today, the foundations of the foundations and important parts of the lower floor are the Fatih devaluation. It is known that during the Ottoman period the Maiden's Tower was restored or remodeled in place. Like the many buildings in Istanbul, the Maiden's Tower was also seriously damaged in the earthquake that was called "the little apocalypse" in 1510. The repair of the tower was carried out during the reign of Sultan Yavuz Selim. Since the circumference is shallow, a lantern has been placed in the tower after 17th century. From this date, the tower has begun to serve as a sea lantern, not a castle any more. At this time, the horses in the house were being used for salvation in ceremonies, not for protection. After the death of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, Prince Selim, who came to Istanbul to go to the throne, was greeted with the balls that were taken from the Maiden's Tower while passing through Uskudar. After that, this salute was made for every Sultan who has been on the throne for a long time and the public was announced to the public with the ball throws of the Padishah. In 1719, the fire burned around the oil lamp by the effect of the wind, and the interior was entirely wooded. In 1725, the city's chief architect, Nevsehirli Damat Ibrahim Pasa, underwent extensive repairs. After this repair, the tower, lead dome and lantern section were restored as paper and glass. Then in 1731 the helm of the helicopter and the ball racks and other places passed through repairs. The Maiden's Tower begins to be used as a defense fortress again with the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Ball shoots previously made for fun and celebrations are now made for defensive purposes. In 1830-1831, the tower turned into a quarantine hospital for the spread of the cholera epidemic. Later, during the plague epidemic of 20 to 30 thousand people who died in 1836-1837, some of the patients were isolated in the hospital where they were established. The quarantine in this hospital, which was established at the Maiden's Tower, prevented the spread of the epidemic. The last great restoration of the Maiden's Tower during the Ottoman period II. It was built during the reign of Mahmud. After the renovation of the tower in 1832-33, which is the present form of the tower, the famous calligrapher Sultan Altim and the marble on the door of the Maiden's Tower Sultan II. It is placed in an inscription bearing the brick of Mahmut. In this Ottoman-baroque architectural style, the flagpole rising above the dome of the tower and the dome is added. In 1857, a French company built a new lighthouse in the tower.

Republican Period
During the Second World War, a renovation work is done at the Maiden's Tower. The rotting wooden parts of the building are repaired and some parts are demolished and converted into concrete. In 1943, large rocks were placed around the helicopter, which had undergone major repairs and was prevented from sliding into the sea. In the meantime, the warehouse and gas reservoirs were removed from the quay around the rock where the ship was sitting. The outer walls of building were preserved and the interior was renewed as reinforced concrete. The Maiden's Tower was transferred to the Army in 1959 and was used as a radar station connected to the Naval Forces Command to control the sea and air traffic of the Bosphorus. The "Civil Surveillance and Radar Station of the Naval Forces Facility", the cistern on the building, was closed with concrete poured during the 1965 amendments. After 1983, the tower was left to Maritime Businesses and used as an intermediate station until 1992.

Today's Maiden's Tower
The tower, which is known as Arkla (small castle) and Damialis (calf) in Antiquity, has been famous for its name "Tour de Leandros" (Tower of Leandros) at one time and nowadays it is integrated with the name of Kızkulesi - Maiden's Tower. In 1995 restoration process of the Maiden's Tower begins. This private space, with its mysterious history of thousands of years, opens its doors in the year 2000, following a restoration work completed by adhering to its unique identity and traditional architecture. Maiden's Tower, which serves as a cafe-restaurant during the day and as a private restaurant in the evening, hosts many special invitations and organizations such as weddings, meetings, launches and business meals.