Rumeli Citadel, Istanbul
Built in first half of 1400s, this is the large medieval castle under the Second Bosphorus Bridge.
Built in first half of 1400s, this is the large medieval castle under the Second Bosphorus Bridge. Its former name Boğazkesen (Turkish)/Laimokopia (Greek) means both 'strait-blocker' and 'throat-cutter' in both languages and denotes the reason of its building-to shut the supply routes from the Black Sea in the north into the slowly falling apart Byzantine Empire through the Bosphorus. Rumeli, literally 'Roman land', was the name of the European half of Ottoman Empire, and as is usual with some other structures and villages along the Bosphorus, used as a prefix to differentiate Rumeli Hisarı from its counterpart in Asian Side, the much smaller Anadolu Hisarı, located just across the Bosphorus.
Hours
Sun
9:00
16:30
Mon
9:00
16:30
Tue
9:00
16:30
Wed
Closed
Thu
9:00
16:30
Fri
9:00
16:30
Sat
9:00
16:30
About Rumeli Citadel
Istanbul, Turkey
Rumeli Citadel and Nearby Sights on Map
Anadolu Citadel
A medieval citadel a little older and much smaller than its European counterpart, situated on the meadow where tranquil Göksu River empties into the Bosphorus, surrounded by picturesque wooden traditional houses
Sakip Sabanci Museum
Museum with a rich collection of calligraphy and paintings
Arnavutköy
The neighbourhood of Arnavutköy (literally 'Albanian village', paying homage to its founders in 1500s) features impressive 4-storey wooden mansions which line the waterfront, all bearing significant artwork on their facades
Emirgan Park
Situated on the gentle hill overlooking the neighbourhood of Emirgan and the Bosphorus, Emirgan Park was for long the only place in the city where Istanbulites can admire the beauty of tulips
Beylerbeyi Palace
Lying under the legs of the Bosphorus Bridge, this beautiful palace located amidst an attractive garden was built between 1861-1865 by Sultan Abdulaziz
Ortaköy
A neighbourhood on the bank of Bosphorus with the Ortaköy Mosque-the baroque mosque under the Bosphorus Bridge, combination of which are one of the most iconic images of Istanbul
Nişantaşı
Nişantaşı is a neighbourhood east of Şişli/northwest of Maçka Park known for its Art Nouveau apartment buildings, ground floors of many of which are occupied by upmarket restaurants, cafes, pubs, and garment stores lining the sidewalks
Sadberk Hanım Museum
A private museum housed in a yalı, traditional wooden waterfront mansions that lie along the banks of Bosphorus
Cezayir Street
Better known as Fransız Sokağı or La Rue Française, i
Akaretler Street
Akaretler Caddesi, or officially Süleyman Seba Caddesi features upscale garment boutiques, restaurants, and sidewalk cafes housed in recently renovated late Ottoman era rowhouses initially built for the state elite, given their proximity to Dolmabahçe Palace, imperial headquarters then