Description
‘Hisari’ in Turkish means castle or fortress, and this particular architectural beauty was built in the 5th century, during the time of Theodosius I, and II. It was designed to the ‘golden gate’, the entrance point to what is now Istanbul, and the original doors were huge and covered completely in gold. One of the most expensive builds of its time, Yedikule Hisari originally had four towers, and was frequently visited by dignitaries and visiting VIPs from around the world.
Three more towers were added to Yedikule Hisari in 1543, by Mehmet the Conquerer. This transformed the building from a gate, into a true fortress, and it was also used as a prison and treasury too. You can see the towers even today, and they are named as the Flag Tower, Sultan Ahmet III Tower, the Armoury Tower, the Dungeon Tower, Top Tower, Treasure Tower, and Young Osman Tower. The Young Osman Tower was the site of Sultan Osman II’s death, during his imprisonment.
The Walls of Constantinople run around Yedikule Hisari, and this is the last point of Istanbul, before you venture into the surrounding suburban areas, which are surprisingly rural for the size of the metropolis you’ve just visited!
