LENDER'S TOWER UP
Lender's Tower ( Maiden's Tower ) stands on a tıny ısland at the entrance of
The Bosphorus.
The Turkish name is derived from a legend. According to the legend, the sultan
had this tower built in order to secure his daughter from a prophesy that she
would die from the poison of a serpent. The princess was eventually bitten by
a poisonous serpent, smuggled out to the islet in a basket of grapes.
In the West European version, the name of the tower is Lander's Tower. According
to a legend Lander drowned there in his attempt to swim the strait to see his
lover, Hero.
The Emperor Manuel Comnenus buılt a small fortress around it in the twelfth century.
It was used as a lighthouse and a customs control point.
The present building dates from the eighteenth century. It has recently been
remodeled and converted into a cafe and restaurant.
GALATA TOWER UP
The Galata Tower stands some 67 meters high with its base 35 meters above sea
level. Originally known as the Tower of Christ, it was erected during the first
expansion of the Genoese colony in 1348 in order to defend themselves more adequately.
The defense system consisted of six walled enceintes, with the outer wall bordered
by a deep ditch. Fragments of the fortifications can still be seen here and there
in Galata.
Mehmet II took the tower from the Genoese. The tower was used as a weather observatory
during the reign of Murat III 1514-1595. The Galata Tower has recently been restored
and there are now a modern restaurant and cafe on its upper levels. From there
a panoramic view out over the entire city can be seen. |
