MAIDEN'S TOWER (Kız Kulesi)

The « Maiden's Tower (Kız Kulesi) » is one of Istanbul‘s most iconic landmarks, sitting on a small islet off the coast of Üsküdar on the Asian shore. Built over 2,500 years ago, it has served as a customs station, defense tower, lighthouse, and quarantine station. The tower is named after a famous Turkish legend: a sultan built the tower to protect his daughter from a prophecy that she would die from a snake bite. Despite his efforts, a snake hidden in a fruit basket bit and killed the princess on her 18th birthday. Today, after a recent restoration, the Maiden's Tower operates as a museum. Visitors can take a short boat ride to enjoy breathtaking 360-degree views of the Bosphorus and both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul.