BOSPHORUS & MAIDEN TOWER & BEYLERBEYI PALACE
(Code: R-06)
Bosphorus Bridge The Bosphorus Bridge, also called the First Bosphorus Bridge (Turkish: Boğaziçi Köprüsü or 1. Boğaziçi Köprüsü) is one of the two bridges in Istanbul, Turkey spanning the Bosphorus strait (Turkish: Boğaziçi) and thus connecting Europe and Asia. The bridge is located between Ortaköy (on the European side) and Beylerbeyi (on the Asian side). It is a gravity anchored suspension bridge with steel pylons and inclined hangers. The aerodynamic deck is hanging on zigzag steel cables. It is 1,510 m long with a deck width of 39 m. The distance between the towers (main span) is 1,074 m and their height over road level is 105 m. The clearance of the bridge from sea level is 64 m. The Bosphorus Bridge had the 4th longest suspension bridge span in the world when it was completed in 1973, and the longest outside the United States. At present, it is the 15th longest suspension bridge span in the world.
Çamlıca Hill From here, there is an absolutely magnificent view, which makes it well worth the climb. In the morning when the sun is still easterly one has a panoramic sight of the whole city, the Bosphorus almost as far as the Black Sea, the Marmara Sea with the Princes Islands, and behind that, the great snow covered ridge of Uludag, the Bithynian Olympus. Toward evening the sun sets almost directly behind Istanbul and its domes and minarets are silhouetted against the flaming western sky like a splendid stage drop.
Beylerbeyi Palace
Beylerbeyi, where the Asian pillar of the Bosphorus Bridge sits, is a pleasant district that has been reserved for palaces since the Byzantine era. Beylerbeyi Palace was built by Sultan Abdulmecid between 1861-1865 on the site of another wooden mansion. The exterior and interior decoration is a blend of Eastern, Turkish and Western motifs. The three-storied building is divided into two sections, the harem (for women) and the selamhk (for men), and has 26 rooms and 6 halls. The original furniture, carpets, curtains and other fixtures have been preserved in good condition.
Golden Horn
Golden Horn forms a deep natural harbor for the pensinsula it encloses together with the Sea of Marmara. The Byzantine Empire had its naval headquarters there, and walls were built along the shoreline to protect the city of Constantinople from naval attacks.
The Maiden Tower ( KIZ KULESİ) Kizkulesi is a tower standing on a stone mound at the point where Asia and Europe intersect and at just an arrows flight from Asia, and it is unique for the position it occupies between two continents. This 2,500-year-old tower has born witness to the histories of ancient Greece, the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire.
The inaccessibility of Kizkulesi made it the source of many stories and fantasies. Perhaps the most well-known narrative was told by Roman writer Ovidius (Ovid), who started his tale with the departure of Hero from the tower. A priestess of Aphrodite, Hero was prohibited from love, but during a rite designed to honor the goddess, she met Leandros (Leander) and they fell in love.Leandros swam to the island where the Maiden Tower is located on a stormy night when strong winds put out the "fire of love" kindled by Hero, and lost in the darkness, Leandros drowned. Hero committed suicide in sorrow over the death of her beloved by jumping from the tower.
Another story recalls the death of Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Legend has it that a king was told by a seer that his beloved daughter would die of a snakes bite at the age of eighteen. The king sent his daughter to the Maidens Tower to stave off her evil end, but destiny had a way of weaving its threads and a snake carried to the tower in a grape basket gave the girl its fatal kiss. The iron tomb that the king designed for his daughter and placed on top of St. Sophia (Aya Sofia) church had two holes, indicating that the girl could not shake off the malediction even in death.
Another story the Byzantine Emperor Manuel Commene(1143-1180) became angry when he learned that his daughter Leander had a love affair.He commissioned the present tower to be constructed and imprisioned his daughter in it.Because of this ,the tower was also known as theLeander Tower.
The last story comes from Ottoman times. We are told that a warrior called Battal Ghazi made a raid on the tower and captured the treasure and the daughter of the lord of Uskudar.
Ghazi mounted his horse and escaped after the sortie and from this came the well-known Turkish saying, "The horse rider is well over Uskudar."
It is also interesting to remember the origin of the towers name. The Turks have called it the Maiden Tower, and it was known in antiquity as "Arkla" (small tower) or Damialis (small calb). Known as "Tour de Leandros" for some time, the tower is generally known as Kizkulesi today. The island has been used for various purposes throughout history: a tomb during Greek antiquity, a customs station during the Byzantine Empire and a performance area, defense tower, point of exile and quarantine island during Ottoman times. But its unique function of serving as a lighthouse for errant travelers and guiding them through the sea has not changed through time.
There are dozens of poems, hundreds of paintings and thousands of photographs attesting to the spell exercised by Kizkulesi, which still stands as a symbol of loneliness, love and inaccessibility.
Cruise on the Bosphorus
Cruising all the way up to the most important fortress on the Bosphorus and return by having a great panorama of the water dividing two conticents.
Rumeli Fortress (only from the boat )
The Rumeli Fortress (Rumelihisari) is located on the European (Rumeli) side of the Bosphorus. It was built by Mehmed II in four months beginning in the spring of 1452 across the waters from the Anatolian Fortress (Anadoluhisari or Güzelce Hisar) built by his grandfather Bayezid I (1389-1402).
Pierre Loti Hill by Cable Car
Ride up to the beautifull hill where you can see the most interesting view of the Golden Horn with a cable car. The hill may make you a poet like a Pierre Loti who is well known poet and author was enraptured by Istanbul and he came here often to watch the beauties of the Golden Horn and Istanbul.
Kanlica Village Famous throughout Turkey for its yogurt, Kanlıca's specialty is made with a mixture of cow and sheep milk. This is not an ordinary, store-bought treat. Kanlıca yogurt is so thick that it was originally served by cutting it with a knife. The true test of quality was said to be that the yogurt would remain firm, even if it were accidentally spilled on the ground. While today's version may not be as solid as it once was, it is still dished up with sugar sprinkled across the top of the creamy skin.
However, there is more to Kanlıca than merely yogurt. Situated on the shores of the Bosporus at its narrowest point, Kanlıca is more like a sleepy fishing village than a suburb of bustling İstanbul. No one knows for certain how this hamlet got its name. One theory is that before the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans, this was the area where many two-wheeled ox carts (kağnı) were made by artisans who had emigrated from Anatolia. Another theory is that the village name refers to the red seaside villas that once lined its shores.
During Byzantine times, the area was known as Boradion in honor of the nephew of Justinian I. By the time of Süleyman the Magnificent's reign, Kanlıca was a town of 1,200 inhabitants, surrounded by gardens, forests and vineyards. People often arrived by boat for moonlit parties along the Bosporus. In the 17th century, Mehmet IV presented the town and vicinity to Sheikh Bahaeddin Efendi, and the area became known as Bahai Körfezi, or Bahai Bay. Eventually, though, the name reverted back to Kanlıca. This was a popular place for equestrians who came for long rides in the surrounding wooded areas. Even today, the Mihrabat Woods, high above the village, are a popular spot for weddings and picnics.
Visitors disembarking from the ferries exit to a small square that has one of the best-known landmarks of Kanlıca -- the İskenderpaşa Mosque. This mosque was commissioned by Gazi İskender Paşa. Built by master architect Mimar Sinan, the mosque dates back to 1560. Originally the mosque was part of a complex that included a hamam and school. Sadly, all that remains now is the mosque.
In addition to its rich yogurt, Kanlıca is also known for the many yalıs that line the Bosporus shoreline of the village. A reminder of the area's more elegant past, the wooden yalıs are perched on the water's edge, some lovingly restored to their former glory, while others are slowly falling into decay. Among the many yalıs that adorn the shores, there are a few of note, none of which are open to the public, however. These are best viewed from the water.
Price List
1 person
: 65 Euro per person
Including
All Transportations
Entrance Fees
Professional English Speaking Guide
Lunch
Related Tours & Tags: Bosphorus Bridge ,Camlica Hill ,Beylerbeyi Palace ,Golden Horn ,Maiden Tower ,Cruise on the Bosphorus ,Rumeli Fortress ,Kanlica Village
