The Maiden’s Tower stands on a tiny islet where the Bosphorus meets the Sea of Marmara. Across centuries, the isolated tower has served practical maritime and defensive roles, while stories attached to it have made the silhouette part of Istanbul’s popular imagination.
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From the shore, the tower seems almost too small to carry the many jobs its history records. It stands on a rock at the southern entrance to the Bosphorus, a strategic point where ships moved between the strait and the Sea of Marmara.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- The tower stands on an islet near the southern entrance to the Bosphorus.
- It has served as a lighthouse, defensive post, quarantine station, and customs point.
- Romantic tales about its name are legends rather than documented history.
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