Rumeli Fortress (Rumelihisarı)
The fortress Mehmed II built in 1452 at the narrowest point of the Bosphorus, before the conquest of Constantinople.
Constructed in just a few months, Rumeli Fortress controlled shipping on the strait opposite the earlier Anadolu Fortress. Its three great towers and curtain walls climb the hillside above the village of Rumelihisarı.
Most groups see it from the water during a Bosphorus cruise; the shoreline between Bebek and Rumelihisarı is also a favourite for a waterfront breakfast or coffee stop.
- →Check the fortress’s current opening status before programming an inside visit.
- →The cruise view is best on the way north in the morning.
Tours visiting this place
Hotels nearby
A contemporary luxury resort on the Kuruçeşme waterfront, with one of the city’s largest spas.
A luxury hotel within Zorlu Center, with a large spa and direct access to shopping and the performing-arts centre.
A five-star business hotel in Levent, on the metro and close to the major malls.
Places nearby
- İstinyePark3.5 km
An upscale mall in Sarıyer combining luxury brands with an open-air bazaar-style street and food market.
- Zorlu Center3.9 km
A mixed-use complex at Zincirlikuyu with a luxury mall, the Zorlu PSM performing-arts centre and Raffles Istanbul.
- Ortaköy Mosque & Square4.8 km
The baroque Ortaköy Mosque at the foot of the Bosphorus Bridge — Istanbul’s most photographed waterfront.
- Beylerbeyi Palace4.9 km
Sultan Abdülaziz’s marble summer palace on the Asian shore, at the foot of the Bosphorus Bridge.
- Çamlıca Mosque & Hill6.4 km
Türkiye’s largest mosque, opened in 2019 on Çamlıca Hill, with views over the Bosphorus and both continents.
- Nişantaşı6.4 km
Istanbul’s luxury-shopping quarter, with international fashion houses, Turkish designers and smart cafés.