“Turkey 🇹🇷 ~Rumeli Castle on The Bosphorus in Istanbul”
During our stay in Istanbul, we desire to visit several palaces and castles. There are many to choose from, but keep in mind, Istanbul is a huge city, with too many vehicles, so it takes some time to get from point A to B.
Rumeli Hisarı Castle is a bit off-the-beaten-path, but truly worth the visit. Plan on hiking up and down the hillside; that of which the castle is built on. Walking the length of the strong-hold, after your first climb, is not possible, as many original staircases and access ways are blocked to the public. The steepness of the stairs without handrails, probably attributes to the blocked status. The access is split in two sections. This requires an up and down hike, by way of stone steps; two times, to complete the visit. But, once you see the views from up high, you will be glad you made the effort!
I’ve seen many castles around the world, and there is just something about THIS castle that says “Monster Size!” It’s really something!
The name Rumeli Hisarı, means “Fortress in the land of the Romans,” i.e. on the European or Byzantine side of the Bosphorus, is the afterthought. Initially, it was called Boğazkesen Castle, literally the “Throat Cutter,”as its purpose was to cut the straits, or the throat, that is the Bosphorus.
It was built in 1452 by the order of Fatih Sultan Mehmed, famous as “Mehmed the Conqueror,” or simply Mehmed II. It is built by the narrowest point of the Bosphorus channel.
This particular Castle played a huge role in the “Siege and Fall of Constantinople,” in 1453, and its very shape and detail exemplify the historical developments that led to this world-changing event, which ended the Byzantine Empire. Before this end, Rumeli Hisarı, for over a thousand years, was a major player during the the establishment of the Ottoman Empire in those times.
most impressive!
Within a half a century, the Ottomans had developed the best and most massive cannons of their time. The new castle with its strong walls was to be used as the base point for Ottoman offensive attacks, whilst the cannon ball technology of the period proved too ineffective to destroy walls of such thickness.
Join the Conversation
Archive Blog Posts of Our Country Visits
About Us
About Us
Hello and Welcome to our Travel Blog Website, We enjoy writing about our experiences and taking photos of our adventuring along the way. Our names are: Daryl and Pen, but Daryl calls me “Bunny.” We met, quite randomly, whilst both… Read More
Always a sucker for castles in any foreign land. What an amazing lifestyle during these times.
Very interesting