Istanbul, a metropolis steeped in history and spanning two continents, is a city of many names: once known as Byzantium, later as Constantinople, and now proudly bearing the name Istanbul. This ancient city stretches across the Bosphorus Strait, its European arm reaching out towards its Asian counterpart, separated only by a mere 700 meters at the strait's narrowest. The waters here, linking the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea, have been home to a small rocky island, Kız Kulesi, or Maiden's Tower, which has been inhabited for nearly as long as the city itself.

This island has played a pivotal role as a sentinel between two worlds, serving various functions over its 2,500-year history, including a customs post, a fortress, a lighthouse, a hospital, and more recently, a "republic of poetry" for literary enthusiasts. For much of its existence, it has remained an enigmatic presence in the Bosphorus, visible but inaccessible to the city's inhabitants. Now, after a significant two-year restoration, the Maiden's Tower reopened to the public in March 2024, offering visitors a chance to reflect on the city's rich history from its vantage point.

The journey to the Maiden's Tower begins at the vibrant Karaköy Pier on the European side of Istanbul, a city that ranked second globally in international arrivals in 2024, with an estimated 23 million visitors. Many of these visitors find their way to the Golden Horn, a bustling area filled with seafood restaurants, bars, and people-watching opportunities as boats traverse the shimmering waterway beneath the iconic Galata Bridge, with the Rüstem Pasha Mosque dominating the skyline. "Approximately 30,000 ships navigate the strait annually," notes historian and travel writer Saffet Emre Tonguc, "making it one of the world's busiest waterways."

On a sunny Saturday in September, a tourist boat, laden with eager visitors, embarks on the brief yet picturesque voyage to the southern tip of the Bosphorus, where Kız Kulesi stands sentinel, a stone's throw from the Üsküdar district on the Asian side. As we disembark and ascend the tower's new internal staircase, we emerge onto the viewing platform, cameras at the ready, to soak in the polished historical vista. Initially constructed as a customs checkpoint in 410 BCE to inspect ships from the Black Sea and levy taxes, the tower has stood sentinel at the entrance, akin to the Statue of Liberty welcoming arrivals to New York Harbor.

"The Black Sea holds significant importance today, particularly for its oil and natural gas reserves," explains private tour guide Barış Partal. "Historically, it was a treasure trove of gold, silver, and copper, as the Georgian mountains were rich in these resources, and ancient Greeks sought to traverse the Bosporus to gather these riches and return home." The Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts, which involves a stop at the Hellespont to resupply, is intricately linked to this region, albeit relocated to a different site, according to Partal.

In the 12th century, during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Comnenus, a defensive tower was erected on the island, and a chain was extended to a second tower to regulate maritime traffic. Following the Ottoman conquest in 1453, Sultan Mehmed II transformed the wooden tower into a stone fortress. From the late 17th century, with the addition of a lantern on the tower's northern side, its primary function became that of a lighthouse. "The waters around the Maiden Tower may not be deep, but they are treacherous," Partal remarks.

The tower has also seen more unusual roles, such as serving as a quarantine hospital during cholera outbreaks in the 1830s, its isolation making it an ideal location. In the 1980s, under Turkey's Maritime and Port administration, it briefly functioned as a storage site for cyanide. In May 1992, poets claimed the tower as a "Republic of Poetry." Known as the "pearl of the Bosphorus," the tower is rich in mythology. The most famous legend involves a king who, warned by a soothsayer that his daughter would die from a snakebite, constructs the tower as a protective measure and supplies her with food via baskets. Tragically, a snake hidden in a fruit basket reaches the island and fulfills the prophecy with a fatal bite.

"One cannot escape one's destiny," Partal reflects. Another tale connects the tower to Ovid's Leander, hence its alternate name, Leander's Tower. In this tragic story, Leander swims to the tower each night to meet his lover, only to drown one fateful night, leading his lover to take her own life upon hearing the news. There's even a whimsical legend that the Maiden's Tower is in a romantic relationship with the Galata Tower, another iconic Istanbul landmark. "They are like a matched pair," Tonguc says, standing out in the city's skyline.

The recent restoration is just one of many throughout the castle and tower's long history. It has withstood earthquakes, fires, and even had its island base reinforced with large rocks during repairs in the 1940s. This latest renovation aims to both strengthen the structure and reveal earlier architectural elements that were obscured during 20th-century renovations. After disembarking, exploring the castle, the viewpoint, and the island base, there's not much to do at the tower beyond enjoying a snack at the simple on-site café. The visit is a brief respite, lasting about an hour, before the boat returns to Europe, leaving the island nearly deserted until the next visitors arrive.

It offers, however, a peaceful escape from the city's bustle and a unique perspective on this legendary city. A visit to the tower is not inexpensive, with an entrance fee of 27 euros and an additional five euros for the boat ride (approximately $33 in total), unless one possesses an Istanbul Museum Pass, which starts at a substantial 105 euros ($109). Tonguc views the restoration as a necessary intervention for a building that had been deteriorating. "Istanbul's historical monuments were constructed to be robust," he says, "designed to withstand earthquakes, floods, and fires over the millennia. They remain in excellent condition because they were built to last for centuries, not just a few years."