The Girl’s Tower is one of the most beautiful tourist attractions located in the Asian part of the city of Istanbul, and a group of interesting stories, tales and legends revolve around it that made it a shrine and an essential destination for tourists and local residents and a wonderful place to enjoy stunning views of the city and the sea.
Where is the girl’s tower located?
The Girl’s Tower is located in the Uskudar area in the middle of the Bosphorus Strait. It is one of the smallest towers built in ancient times on the Asian side of Istanbul. It is an octagonal building, with 6 floors connected by a spiral staircase, with a height of 23 meters along with the dome.
The story of the girl’s horoscope
There are many stories about the purpose of building the tower, but the most common is that Sultan saw in his dream that there was a poisonous snake that bit his only daughter and killed her on her eighteenth birthday. To avoid realizing his vision, he thought about keeping her away from the mainland, so he ordered part of the Bosphorus to be filled in and the tower built on it. To turn into an island isolated from the mainland, and snakes cannot reach it.
On the girl’s eighteenth birthday, the Sultan’s disciples and lovers rushed to bring gifts to the princess. Among them was a fruit basket decorated with grapes, into which a snake had crept without anyone noticing. His vision came true, and the snake came out and bit the girl and she died, as her father had predicted.
Hence, the small palace was called the “Girl’s Tower” because of her father’s intense grief over her, and to serve as a lesson and wisdom that there is no escape from God’s judgment, and after that it remained abandoned for years.
When was the Girl’s Tower built?
Stories say that the construction of the tower dates back more than 1,500 years, and after the tower remained abandoned for long periods, it was used in the year 1110 as a designated station for ships coming across the Black Sea.
After Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror entered Istanbul in 1453, it was used as a watchtower, for navigational and military purposes, but it was demolished during the devastating earthquake in 1509.
It was rebuilt two years later, but a fire in 1721 destroyed it. It was restored and its uses were studied to preserve it.
It is also mentioned that it was used after that as a quarantine for those infected with infectious diseases, and this role led to its collapse, which prompted Sultan Mahmud II to restore it with a new and solid building. It is said that the current building, with minor changes during the restoration of 1945 and 1998, and after the earthquake of 1999 and also in 2000, was strengthened. The building is reinforced with steel to protect it.
The Girl’s Tower from the inside:
Inside the girl’s tower there is a variety of sculptures and drawings that adorn its walls, embodying the story of the princess and the snake that killed her, and other artistic paintings that express the story of the tower and the stories and legends associated with it.
The lower floor includes a number of restaurants that serve delicious Turkish cuisine amidst stunning views and atmosphere. The restaurants receive visitors at lunch and dinner, and wedding parties and iftar trips are held in Ramadan, in addition to the presence of some shops dedicated to selling souvenirs.
In addition, there is a telescope installed through which one can watch the giant commercial ships crossing the Bosphorus, in addition to seeing the charming landmarks of Istanbul, such as the Dolmabahce Palace, the Sultanahmet area, and the Hagia Sophia Mosque.
Getting to the Girl’s Tower is an interesting and enjoyable experience in itself because the tower is located in the middle of the Bosphorus Strait, and it can be reached by boat in a 10-minute trip during which you can see the tower’s wonderful features from the outside, so do not forget during your visit to Istanbul to visit this prominent landmark. Enjoy its charming atmosphere.