Kizkulesi (Maiden's Tower) is among one of the most iconic landmarks of Istanbul. Although this beautiful tower is visible at close range on ferry rides across the Bosphorus between Kadikoy-Besiktas, Besiktas-Üsküdar, as well as Üsküdar-Eminonu, very few foreign tourists actually make the effort of going there because of the lack of direct ferry access from the tourist enclaves of Sultanahmet and Eminonu.
Actually it is fairly straight forward to get to Kizkulesi from the European side of the city, it takes only some patience and a little bit of walking. The most direct way of arriving at Kizkulesi is to take a ferry to Üsküdar, then walk along the waterfront towards the direction of Harem and Kadikoy, until you see the tower and a small kiosk selling tickets for the shuttle boat between Üsküdar and Kizkulesi. Price per person for a return ticket on a small shuttle boat costs 5 TL in 2011.
Alternatively, get on any bus or dolmus which goes from Kadikoy to Üsküdar via Harem, and get off at the bus stop named 'Kizkulesi', a few stops after the Harem otogar.
The tower began its life some 2400 years ago as a watch tower to control movements of enemy ships in the Bosphorus. Later it was rebuilt, enlarged and modified by the Byzantines and the Ottomans, and subsequently became first a fortress, and then a light-house. Nowadasy it has been converted into a luxury restaurant on the ground floor and the first floor, as well as a cafe on the topmost level. During the day, regular shuttle boats travel between Üsküdar and Kizkulesi, the boat ride is a little bit bumpy, but given the short distance, the ride takes around 5 minutes each way.
In the evening, there are special direct ferries from Kabatas on the European side to Kizkulesi, departing Kabatas at around 8pm, returning from Kizkulesi after midnight. These special 'dinner boats' enable people to dine and wine in the exclusive restaurant inside the tower and spend a nice evening with their love ones and the family, accompanied by live music and splendid views of both sides of Istanbul. Advance reservations for the dinner boat and the restaurant inside Kizkulesi are required.
If possible, try to visit the Maiden's Tower on weekdays, as it is a very popular place among local Turks for an short afternoon excursion, and on weekends it is very difficult to find a place to sit down and have something to drink in the cafe on the topmost level. It is even more difficult to take photos of the tower because of the sheer number of visitors within the tower at any given time. Although not on most foreign tourists' standard itinerary of their tour of Istanbul, the tower has featured prominently in many popular Turkish TV series and has become a must-see place for many Turkish tourists from other parts of the country.
A spiral staircase, decorated with old photos of the tower taken during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leads up all the way to the small cafe on the uppermost level of the tower. In addition to Turkish tea, coffee, and soft drinks, alcoholic drinks and beverage are also served. A small open-air terrace surrounds the cafe and offers a stunning 360-degrees panoramic view of both sides of the Bosphorus. The Maiden's Tower is one of the very few places in the world where one could admire the views of both Europe and Asia all at the same time. To the left are the minarets and domes of Sultanahmet, Topkapi and Sirkeci, followed by the office towers, high-rise apartment blocks, skyscrapers of Taksim and the beautiful neo-classical buildings at Besiktas, then the Bosphorus Bridge with its never-ending traffics, and to the right is the busy waterfront scene of Üsküdar. The picturesque cityscape, coupled with the sights of the busy shipping traffics on the Bosphorus not far away from the tower, makes a visit to Kizkulesi a must for people who are serious about exploring this amazing city.
Before you go, please check with the ticket kiosk in Üsküdar for the departure time of the last public shuttle boat. Enjoy your visit!!
Copyrights@2011. All text and photos by YC Cheng.
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