Rumeli Fortress

Rumeli Hisarı stands where the Bosphorus narrows to 660 metres, directly opposite the older Anadolu Hisarı on the Asian side, and it was put up in 1452 in a matter of months to control shipping through the strait - the speed of its construction is the detail every account mentions. Three large towers, a curtain wall and thirteen smaller bastions run down a steep slope from the ridge to the shore, enclosing a sloping site that is now laid out as a park with grass, paths and the remains of a small mosque and cistern. The walls and tower stairs can be climbed in places, and the view along the strait from the upper level takes in the Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridge just north and the villages on both shores. It functions today as a museum and occasional concert venue rather than a fortification, and the neighbourhood below it, Bebek and Rumeli Hisarı village, is one of the pleasanter stretches of the Bosphorus for a walk and a coffee.

What to look for

• The three great towers - the corners of the enclosure.
• The sloping curtain walls - the run from ridge to shore.
• The strait view - the narrows and the bridge to the north.
• The interior park - grass, paths and old foundations.

When to go

April to June and September to October. Mornings for quiet and for light down the strait. Closed one day a week - check before going.

Good to know

The site is steep with uneven stone stairs and few railings; parts of the walls close for safety. There is little shade. It is a bus ride up the Bosphorus with no tram or metro at the door.

Nearby

Bebek's waterfront cafés are a short walk south; Emirgan Grove and the Sakıp Sabancı Museum are north.

Key facts