Rumeli Hisari Castle

Rumeli Castle (Rumeli Hisari) is an Ottoman fortress dating to It was built by Ottoman sultan Mehmed II (Mehmed the Conqueror) in preparation of the conquest of Constantinople. The castle is situated on the shore of the Bosphorus Strait at its narrowest point with approximately meters. It is just opposite of Anadolu Castle (Anadolu Hisari) that is another Ottoman castle built in by Bayezid I. Both Anadolu Castle and Rumeli Castle were built by Ottoman sultans in order to prevent military and economic aid to the Byzantine Empire coming from the north, Black Sea. Thus, Bosphorus strait connects Black Sea with Marmara Sea.

Rumeli Castle consists of three large towers, one small tower, and thirteen smaller towers, which all are in very good condition. The architect of the castle was architect Müslihiddin and by the time it was built, its name was Bogazkesen (Strait Cutter).

Rumeli Castle after the conquest of Constantinople

After the conquest of Constantinople in , the castle lost its military importance and served as a customs checkpoint until the seventeenth century and then as a prison until the nineteenth century. In the nineteenth century a neighborhood was formed inside the castle with its houses, mosque, shops, and so on. However, this neighborhood was destroyed in s. Since the Rumeli Castle functions as a museum and this magnificent castle is open to the public as an open-air museum.

Amazing facts about the Rumeli Castle (Rumeli Hisari)

From above the Rumeli Castle is in the shape of the name of Prophet Muhammad, which shares same spelling with Mehmed (Ottoman sultan commissioned the castle) in Arabic.

History

Rumeli Fortress was built by Fatih Sultan Mehmet II to control the ships passing through the Bosphorus, before the conquest of Istanbul. The fortress, whose construction started in March , was completed in August of the same year. In historical sources, it is mentioned that masters, workers, coachmen, boatmen and transporters worked in its construction. Hisar, lost its importance after the conquest and It has been used as a state prison since the 16th century. Buildings destroyed by the fire in , were repaired in the time of Sultan Selim III. (). Hisar, which has not attracted attention for many years, has seen a comprehensive restoration in during the th anniversary of the conquest.

First Opening Date as a Museum: Rumeli Fortress, one of the most important symbols of the conquest of Istanbul, was opened to visitors as a monument museum affiliated to the Hisarlar Museum Directorate in , after the completion of the restoration work initiated in

Collection Types: The Rumeli Fortress Museum Collection includes, cannonballs which are used during the conquest, cannons from the period of Sultan Beyazid II, late Ottoman cannons, various stone artifacts from the Eastern Roman Empire and the famous Golden Horn chain.

Highlights of the Museum: Rumeli Fortress, which is a medieval structure, has the biggest bastions of its period. Each of the three towers in the fortress had built by three viziers who served as the vizier of the Conqueror Sultan Mehmet II. Çandarlı Halil Pasha Tower's height is 22 meters, Zaganos Pasha Tower is 21 meters and Saruca Pasha Tower is 28 meters.

In Saruca Paşa Tower, whose wooden floors are still standing today, there is a divan hall room that stands out with its acoustics. Graffiti inscriptions on its walls from the period when it was used as a prison still exist.

The two-line naskh inscription above the entrance of Zağanos Pasha Tower is the first Turkish inscription of the Bosphorus.

This unique building, which has survived from the middle ages to the present, is not only remarkable with its architecture but also with its vegetation. A small section of the typical flora of the Bosphorus, in all seasons comes to life in the garden with pine nuts, redbud trees and wild ground cover. In addition, with its three viewing terraces, Rumeli Hisarı is home to one of the most beautiful views in the world.