Yedikule (Seven Towers) fortress

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The Yedi Kule (often written together) or Seven Towers structure is partly Byzantine, partly Turkish. Four towers are part of the Theodosian land wall, three were added by Mehmet the Conqueror. They are connected by heavy curtain-walls, forming a five-sided enclosure.

The Theodosian walls were completed in 413, but destroyed in 447 by an earthquake. As Atilla the Hun was then advancing on Constantinople with his Golden Horde, reconstruction was begun immediately and with the greatest urgency. Within two months the walls had been rebuilt, far stronger than before (quotes from Strolling through Istanbul, an excellent guidebook from Redhouse publishers, still available in Istanbul which I also used for some of the texts under these pictures). Some pictures are just "for arts sake" and are not of identified subjects. The weather was first overcast and a bit foggy, later cleared a bit, but hey, it was December (twice, I returned in 2012). For another fortress I visited at the same time, also by Mehmet Fatih: Rumeli Hisarı.

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Yedikule West Wall with Golden Gate in 2006 3409.jpg	Istanbul december 2012 6355.jpg	Istanbul Yedikule exterior Golden Gate side 3115.jpg	Istanbul Yedikule eastern and southern side 0458.jpg	Istanbul Yedikule northern and eastern side 0464.jpg
Istanbul Yedikule Southern side 0481.jpg	Istanbul Yedikule spot of former mosque 0482.jpg	Istanbul Yedikule spot of former mosque 0483.jpg	Istanbul Yedikule spot of former mosque 0484.jpg	Istanbul Yedikule view from walls to south 0457.jpg
Istanbul Yedikule view from walls to south 0459.jpg

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Jon Ortac		04-Feb-2008 16:03
Point of interest; the Seven Towers once housed the Ottoman imperial treasury and in later years was a notorious dungeon where important prisoners were kept, much like the Tower of London. I highly recommend "The Ottoman Centuries", by Lord Kinross. It is a highly non-biased history of the Ottoman Empire very enjoyable to read for those interested in Ottoman history.

Talita van Graan		23-Feb-2007 09:28
Dear Sir - I am a student from South Africa, and was lucky enough to visit Turkey last year. The beauty of your country is beyond words, and I have lost a little of myself there. I just wanted to thank you for your exquisite photographs - I have been trawling the web for anything Turkish, but your photos are by far the best I have found. You have captured exactly what I felt when I visisted your country, and it makes the longing a little less painful. Thank you, thank you.

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