Istanbul, which has hosted many important buildings throughout its history, attracts attention with its rich past. Anadolu Hisarı is one of these important buildings. Anatolian Fortress, which was built on the Bosphorus 630 years ago with the most advanced facilities of the period, was primarily a military structure but has been used for many purposes until today, was reborn as a must-see place after its restoration. Now let’s go to Anadolu Hisari together and remember why we need to see this place.

A building dating from 1394
Anadolu Fortress was built in 1394 by the order of Ottoman Sultan Yıldırım Bayezid. Yıldırım, who wanted to take the city from Byzantium, wanted to control the Bosphorus with the Fortress he had built. This project of his would be postponed for a while after his defeat by Timur in the Battle of Ankara. Until the accession to the throne of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, who had the same dream.
The stones used in the construction of the Anatolian Fortress were brought from ancient buildings from the Byzantine period in Istanbul and surrounding cities. That’s why the walls of the fortress are more valuable than itself.

The Fortress, which was especially damaged by earthquakes, was repaired many times over time. Towards the end of the 19th century, much of the Citadel’s original structure was demolished and rebuilt. However, these repairs also helped Anadolu Hisarı to still preserve its historical and aesthetic value.

So where is this Hisar?
Anadolu Fortress is located on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, in Beykoz district, in the heart of the Bosphorus, on a triangular piece of land extending between the Bosphorus and the place where the Göksu River joins the Bosphorus, and at the narrowest point of the Bosphorus. This carefully chosen strategic location was aimed at ensuring the security of the Bosphorus. 60 years after its construction, when Mehmet the Conqueror besieged the city and forced the Byzantine Empire to surrender, the Citadel played a very important role, just like the Rumeli Fortress built on the opposite shore of the Bosphorus.

The importance of the fort was not limited to defense only. It also served as a protective castle of Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire. The Hisar, which was used as a prison for various statesmen in the 16th century, played a useful role in stopping the Cossack raids coming from the Black Sea in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Let’s go to Anadolu Hisar then.
Anatolian Fortress still stands today in all its glory and is open to visitors. The Citadel, a small medieval castle, has been restored and maintained by the Metropolitan Municipality and is open to visitors with its museum. Various places and walls within the historical building offer visitors the opportunity to see the history and architecture of the Hisar closely. Visitors to the Citadel come here to breathe in the historical atmosphere and see the magnificent view of the Bosphorus.

During your travels to Istanbul, where two continents meet, if you stay at Aspera Hotel Altunizade, at the most central point of the Anatolian side, next to the transportation lines, you can easily reach the Anatolian Fortress, discover the past of this magnificent historical building and experience the fascinating beauty of the Bosphorus. .