Category:Visit Turkey

THE MAIDEN TOWER - Kiz Kulesi (Leander's Tower) Istanbul’s Maiden Tower, Kiz Kulesi, is one of Turkey’s most exciting tourist attractions. Built in 408 B.C. by Athenian general Alcibiades to control the traffic of Persian ships in the Bosphorus strait, the Maiden Tower was later rebuilt as a fortress for Byzantine emperor Alexius Comnenus in 1110 A.D.

Ottoman Turks also had a hand in maintaining this beautiful tower, rebuilding the restoring the façade several times throughout the years.

There are many popular myths and legends surrounding the Maiden Tower. Once of the most popular legends is about a beloved sultan’s daughter who, it was prophesized, would die of a snakebite on her eighteenth birthday. Wanting to protect his daughter from the prophecy, the sultan sent the princess to the tower for safe-keeping. All was well until her eighteenth birthday when the sultan brought the princess a beautiful basket of fruit to celebrate her birthday and the avoidance of the prophecy. As the princess reached for a bunch of grapes, an asp, which had been hiding in the basket, bit her on the hand and she died in her father’s arms. It is said that this legend is how the Maiden Tower (Kiz Kulesi) got it's name.

The Maiden Tower, which was used as a lighthouse for centuries, now houses a restaurant and café that are two of Istanbul’s premiere hotspots for fine dining. The café in the Maiden Tower is open to walk-in tourists from noon to nine and dinner in the restaurant is available by reservation only. With frequent live music, D.J.s, events, and the obligatory use of a boat to reach the tower, dining at the Maiden Tower is as romantic as it gets.

The Maiden Tower has been also been used in popular film and television, appearing most recently in the 2007 film “Hitman”. The Maiden Tower was also used as a hideout for the villain Elektra in the James Bond film “The World is Not Enough” and featured on “The Amazing Race” television show.

Full of history, intrigue, romance and culture; make sure your vacation to Turkey includes a visit to Istanbul’s Maiden Tower.

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