The Rumeli Hisari fortress is a prime example of Istanbul’s rich historical and monumental heritage, which extends beyond the city itself to its surroundings. In this post, we cover the most interesting aspects of this castle, which you can view from a boat during a Bosphorus cruise or even visit if you’re passionate about military architecture. Take note.
What is Rumeli Hisari and where is it Located
Rumeli Hisari is a historic military fortress located in the outskirts of Istanbul. Specifically, it’s situated at the narrowest part of the Bosphorus Strait, about 10 km in a straight line from the Golden Horn, where the distance between shores is just over 650 meters.
Its name refers to Rumelia, which was what the Ottomans called this territory west of the Bosphorus Strait, what would generally be considered the Balkans today. It means “land of the Romans”, a denomination that actually referred to the Byzantines, their heirs. More macabre (and therefore discarded) was its original name Boğazkesen, which means “throat cutter”.
History and Value of the Castle
This castle was built between 1451 and 1452, shortly after Sultan Mehmet II ascended to the throne. This ambitious monarch had set out to fulfill the long-desired project of conquering Constantinople, which he achieved in 1453. And in that conquest, the strategy given to the siege of the then Byzantine capital was of great importance: a siege that aimed to block all types of external aid by sea from the south and north.
Therefore, he ordered the construction of four castles, facing each other in pairs. The southern castles were located in the Dardanelles Strait, south of the Sea of Marmara, at the height of present-day Çanakkale (Kilitbahir and Cimenlik Kalesi). And the northern castles, in the Bosphorus Strait were Anadolu Hisari and Rumeli Hisari. Later, it would become a prison.
This fortress that we’re discussing has an irregular shape, with three main cylindrical towers and thirteen watchtowers for monitoring the strait. Its walls reach a thickness of 7 meters in some points, and a height of 22 meters at its highest section. All of this is spread over sloping terrain, which demonstrates the Ottoman expertise in adapting their architecture to the environment.
Today: how to get there and Visit
The castle, logically, no longer serves the defensive function for which it was designed in the mid-15th century. Instead, it is a visitable monument, allowing anyone to learn about the fortress’s history, its construction context, and even climb its towers, which offers a magnificent opportunity to contemplate the Bosphorus Strait in all its splendor.
Additionally, Rumeli Hisari is also used for other recreational purposes, such as open-air concerts and other events or festivals, which gives a more pleasant and idyllic air to this monument of military character.
To get here, it’s necessary to travel by road, covering a journey of 15 minutes. The duration of the trip, without traffic, takes between 20 and 30 minutes, but if traffic is heavy (as is common in this city), it can take longer.
However, it’s worth mentioning another interesting way to view it: from the strait itself if you take a Bosphorus cruise. Not all boat routes reach this far, as the shorter ones turn back at the first bridge (the Bosphorus Bridge), at the height of Beylerbeyi Palace. But if you opt for a longer route, you can reach the height of this castle and understand, along with Anadolu, its great strategic importance in the past.
It’s usually open from 9:00 AM, with a closing time that depends on the season. Additionally, it remains closed on Mondays.