Istanbul’s Rumeli Hisari Fortress

Pop quiz:

A) This took four months to complete and spelled the demise of Byzantine rule in Constantinople?

Q) What is Rumeli Hisari?

Sitting on one of the thinnest points of the Bosphorus, the Rumeli Fortress was built by Mehmet II in 1452. By 1453, the city we now know as Istanbul was his.

A lot of people seem to miss this place when visiting Istanbul, which is a real shame. Even if the history doesn’t fascinate you, the ability to climb up on fortress walls that have stood for over 1500 years should be enough t lure you into a state of childlike excitement.

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Getting to Rumeli Hisari: Bus 25E (and others) depart from the  Beşiktaş bus station to the south or from Sarıyer to the north.

Admission: 5TL, open 9:30a – 4:30 everyday but wednesday.

There are a few  stairs involved to get to the top of the walls, so on a hot day consider picking up a bottle of water from the stalls outside the fortress.

On the other hand if you just want to see the fortress from the water, take the public Bosphorus Ferry or a private Bosphorus Cruise.