Audio GuideYedikule Fortress

Yedikule Fortress stands at the edge of Istanbul, where the city’s ancient walls meet the waters of the Sea of Marmara. Its story weaves together centuries of history, uniting the splendour of Rome with the ambitions of the Ottoman Empire. In its earliest days, Yedikule was never intended as a prison, but as a place of welcome: the renowned Golden Gate was built in the twilight of the Roman era, lined with gleaming marble and gold, and served as the proudest entrance to the city. Emperors and distinguished guests entered here, greeted with processions and celebration.

Deniz Acar

Centuries later, in the middle of the fifteenth century, the Ottoman sultan Mehmed the Conqueror transformed these historic remnants, adding three more towers to the original four and shaping them into the fortress of seven towers – Yedikule, as we know it today. Behind these thick stone ramparts, the fortress became one of the empire’s most secure treasuries, holding valuable riches for generations.

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As the tides of power shifted, so did the fortress’s role. Its grand halls, once echoing with welcomes, became a place of confinement. In time, kings, diplomats, sultans and generals all found themselves imprisoned here. Osman the Second, a young sultan, met a tragic end in the tower that now bears his name. Other towers recall their historic uses – the Armory Tower once held weapons, the Treasury Tower guarded the sultan’s gold, and the Flag Tower flew the Ottoman standard for all of Istanbul to see.

ahmet güven

Through wars, earthquakes and fires, Yedikule has found new purposes. In the closing years of the nineteenth century, it even became home to a school for girls and a small menagerie. The mosque built during the Ottoman period still survives, along with the fountain where soldiers and officials once paused to gather.

Yedikule is a unique meeting point between civilisations – a Roman triumphal arch united with sturdy Ottoman towers. Today, visitors wander through its stone corridors, reading ancient inscriptions and gazing into the deep, shadowy well rumoured to hold secrets of blood and betrayal. Thanks to careful restoration and renewed public interest, Yedikule has become one of Istanbul’s most historic open-air museums. Guided tours and cultural events now bring new life to courtyards that once rang with royal processions and whispered plots.

Resting at the foot of Istanbul’s legendary city walls, Yedikule bridges past and present. Whether you come for its architecture, its stories or its sweeping vistas over the city, the fortress remains a true gateway – not only of stone, but through the centuries themselves.