Kız Kulesi; Boğaz’ın Üsküdar Salacak açıklarında bulunan küçük bir adacık üzerine inşa edilmiştir. Birçok medeniyete ev sahipliği yapmış İstanbul’un en önemli sembolleri arasındadır. Altında gizli tüneller olduğu söylenen tarihi yapıyla ilgili birçok efsane var. Tarihi ve muhteşem manzarası ile yerli ve yabancı turistler tarafından İstanbul’da en çok ziyaret edilen yerlerden biridir.
Tarihi kule, Üsküdar’da Bizans dönemine ait tek eserdir. M.Ö. 24 yıllık bir geçmişe sahip olan yapı, antik çağlardan günümüze kadar gelebilmiştir. İstanbul Boğazı’nın ortasında, iki kıtanın buluşma noktasında yer alan yapı, eşsiz bir manzara sunuyor. Antik Yunan döneminde inşa edilen yapı, Bizans İmparatorluğu ve Osmanlı İmparatorluğu dönemlerinde yapılan tadilatlarla varlığını sürdürmüştür.
The foundations of the Maiden’s Tower, which can be seen today, and important parts of the lower floor were built during the reign of Mehmet the Conqueror. On a marble plate in the form of a medallion on top of the tower, Sultan II. There is a drawing of Mahmut’s tughra dated 1832. It is said that there is a tunnel extending down from the ground floor of the Maiden’s Tower and there is a door at the end. Basilica Cistern’The tunnel, which starts from a secret entrance of the city, goes to the Maiden’s Tower and then from the Maiden’s Tower to the other side of Anatolia. underground citieswhat is claimed. Studies have been carried out by many archaeologists to find the passage, but no clear conclusion has been reached.
History and Usage Purposes of Maiden’s Tower
Maiden’s Tower, BC. It was built in 408 by the Athenian General Alcibiadis. It was built as a special station on a small rock for ships coming from the Black Sea. It housed a tomb when it was first built during the Ancient Greek period.
The Byzantine Emperor Alexios I converted the building into a wooden tower surrounded by stone walls in 1110. An iron chain was drawn from the tower to another tower on the historical peninsula in Constantinople, and the island where the tower was located was connected to the Asian coast by a defensive wall. It was used as a customs station with the annex building built next to the tower during the Byzantine period. After a while, the tower could not carry the chain and collapsed towards the European side. These ruins can be seen when looking from the tower into the water.
After the conquest of Istanbul by Fatih Sultan Mehmet in 1453, it was used as a watchtower. The tower during the Ottoman period; It has been used for many functions such as demonstration platform, defense castle, exile station, quarantine room. The tower, which has been in existence for centuries, has the feature of being a lighthouse that guides the ships passing through the Bosphorus at night.
The Maiden’s Tower was destroyed in the earthquake in 1509 and was rebuilt. It burned down in 1721 and was built by Grand Vizier Damat İbrahim Pasha and used as a lighthouse. The surrounding walls of the tower were repaired in 1731 and 1734. In 1763, the tower was rebuilt with more durable stones, and from 1829 it was used as a quarantine station. In 1832, Sultan II. It was restored by Mahmut.
In 1998, the tower underwent restoration again. After the earthquake in 1999, a tsunami occurred in the Marmara Sea and steel supports were added to strengthen the tower. Later, the interior of the tower was converted into a cafe and restaurant, and it was open to visitors all day long by private boats.
Famous Legends of Maiden’s Tower
Throughout history, Istanbul has been recognized as one of the most important cities in the world. The historical building in the city, which has hosted many civilizations, has been the subject of many legends due to its location. Some of the legends told about the historical Maiden’s Tower are as follows:
Kule ile ilgili en çok anlatılan efsanelerden biri de yılan efsanesidir. Efsaneye göre dönemin Bizans krallarından birinin kızı hakkında bir söylenti varmış. Kızın 18 yaşına geldiğinde yılan sokmasından öleceği rivayet edilir. Bunun üzerine kral, kızını korumak için denizin ortasına bir kule yaptırır ve onu oraya gizler. Ancak prenses 18 yaşına geldiğinde kendisine getirilen yemek sepetinde saklanan yılan dışarı çıktı ve genç kızı sokarak öldürdü.
Anlatılan bir başka efsaneye göre; Antik Yunan Dönemi’nde kente gelen bir amiralin eşi vefat etmiştir. Ölümüne çok üzülen Amiral, Kız Kulesi’ni eşi için bir türbe olarak yaptırmıştır.
Osmanlı döneminde geçtiği söylenen bir başka efsaneye göre; Battal Gazi İstanbul’u kuşatmak için gitti, ancak kuşatmadan olumlu bir sonuç alamayınca Kız Kulesi’nin önüne karargâh kurup 7 yıl kaldı. Battal Gazi’nin Üsküdar kıyılarında 7 yıl kalmasının sebebinin tekfurun kızına aşık olması olduğu anlatılır. Battal Gazi’nin Kız Kulesi’ne baskın düzenleyerek buradaki hazineleri alıp Üsküdar Tekfuru’nun kızını kaçırdığı söyleniyor. Hatta “Atı alan Üsküdar’ı geçti” ifadesinin de bu hikayeden geldiği söylenir.
