Yedikule (Castle of the Seven Towers)
Yedikule (Castle of the Seven Towers)
4
This location was reported permanently closed
About
This fortress of walls helped to protect the city but its towers were also used to house prisoners as well as the state's treasury.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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The area
Neighborhood: Sirkeci
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32 within 3 miles
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15 within 6 miles
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
113 reviews
Excellent
51
Very good
33
Average
16
Poor
8
Terrible
5
Berthaki
Arequipa, Peru235 contributions
Sep 2022 • Solo
The castle is open but not well organized, unfortunately. The price you pay as a foreigner is quiet expensive compared to other castles and you don't even get a ticket, so probably they are just exploring the international tourists. As there are no explanations, you have to search information and read a bit before going there so that the things you see make sense. The views from the top are awesome and there's still some restauration going on in some towers and the minaret at the courtyard. It was sad to see so historically important place neglected. By the way, the quadriga that used to be at Porta Aurea was an elephants' quadriga so it's not the one taken to St. Mark church in Venice, as I read in other comments.
Written September 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lanni
Gaziantep, Türkiye5,192 contributions
Dec 2021 • Solo
After reading from Yedikule website that, at least the garden is open for visit, I took Marmaray and get off in Kazlıçeşme. And it is still closed as of December 2021 😔. I have been waiting for years to visit Yedikule after my last true visit in 2013. Hope the restoration will finish soon and it seems it will open next year.
From Kazlıçeşme I could see the ruins of Golden Gate or Altınkapı. It was the place of Horses of Saint Mark before taken to Venice during the sacking of Constantinoplein 1204.
From Kazlıçeşme I could see the ruins of Golden Gate or Altınkapı. It was the place of Horses of Saint Mark before taken to Venice during the sacking of Constantinoplein 1204.
Written December 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cattidudette
Singapore204 contributions
Nov 2013 • Friends
Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to explore! I went there with a friend and we were kinda late. It is a hidden gem and totally worth taking time going all the way there.
The fee is minimal and tourist-free! We walked around aimlessly taking photos. One of the caretaker approached us and we thought he was gonna chase us out. He probably knew we didnt quite know what to do so he decided to bring us around even past closing hours! Luckily there were some young Turkish who helped translate for us.
The sunset was awesome, and there are so many parts to explore. I love it.
If you are looking to visit some ruins without the usual crowd, enjoy taking things slow and absorbing beauty at your own pace.. I think this is the place.
The fee is minimal and tourist-free! We walked around aimlessly taking photos. One of the caretaker approached us and we thought he was gonna chase us out. He probably knew we didnt quite know what to do so he decided to bring us around even past closing hours! Luckily there were some young Turkish who helped translate for us.
The sunset was awesome, and there are so many parts to explore. I love it.
If you are looking to visit some ruins without the usual crowd, enjoy taking things slow and absorbing beauty at your own pace.. I think this is the place.
Written February 22, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Swedishtomcat
Diss, UK3,479 contributions
Jun 2014 • Couples
To get here we caught the Marmaray Metro (the black line) from Sirkeci to Kazlicesme (currently the last stop on the under-construction line). Come out the station and then walk back to where the line crosses a dual carriageway. Glance across the road and there is a brown signpost pointing to “Yedikule Zindanlari”. It is a ten minute stroll up to the castle - the local taksi drivers didn’t seem interested in taking us such a short fare from the station!
Entry was 10TL, there were no queues and you’re free to explore the battlements. One of the stairways has a wobbly banister but the rest didn’t so it is not for the faint-hearted. The views from the top were great.
Afterwards, we took the 80T bus direct to Taksim Square from its terminus located conveniently just outside the castle gates.
Entry was 10TL, there were no queues and you’re free to explore the battlements. One of the stairways has a wobbly banister but the rest didn’t so it is not for the faint-hearted. The views from the top were great.
Afterwards, we took the 80T bus direct to Taksim Square from its terminus located conveniently just outside the castle gates.
Written June 28, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lanni
Gaziantep, Türkiye5,192 contributions
Oct 2013 • Solo
Thanks to enigma2007 who advised me to take bus 80T Yedikule-Taksim so I could visit Yedikule Castle. Very easy transportation as the bus stops in front of the steel gate of the castle.
What I can write about this castle: amazingly breathtaking beautiful! Although a lot of maintenance and additional barrier / protection needed especially for children and the ones who fear of height / acrophobia (like me!), I am personally impressed by this castle with amazing view across the sea from the top of it. There are not a lot of tourists visited as the location is not in the touristic area such as Sultanahment or Beyoglu.
Some tips:
*Torchlight may be useful especially if you plan to climb all the existence towers.
*The bus can be less regular during the weekend, so it will be wise to check when the bus departs from halte.
*As it is situated in local residence area, there is no place to chill out, no restaurant, no cafe. There is only one small bakery shop and local shop.
What I can write about this castle: amazingly breathtaking beautiful! Although a lot of maintenance and additional barrier / protection needed especially for children and the ones who fear of height / acrophobia (like me!), I am personally impressed by this castle with amazing view across the sea from the top of it. There are not a lot of tourists visited as the location is not in the touristic area such as Sultanahment or Beyoglu.
Some tips:
*Torchlight may be useful especially if you plan to climb all the existence towers.
*The bus can be less regular during the weekend, so it will be wise to check when the bus departs from halte.
*As it is situated in local residence area, there is no place to chill out, no restaurant, no cafe. There is only one small bakery shop and local shop.
Written October 19, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ZZoee
London, UK276 contributions
Dec 2012 • Couples
I have been to Yedikule several times and always enjoy it, I just wish more was done with the site, as it could be brilliant with some better signage, boards with the history of the site (and the conquest) and toilets that were a bit cleaner!
You can get there easily on the train from Sirkeci (using the istanbul card), check the platform number on the sign above the barriers (destination is Halkali, dotless 'I'), the trains seem to run every 15 minutes or so. Get off at Yedikule and turn left out of the station, it's about five minutes walk.
Make sure you go into the gate house at the left of the golden gate, as you can walk right up to the roof and there is a brilliant view. Afterwards, it's worth walking around the outside. Go left out of the main gate and left again through the walls (be careful!) and go left down the road. You'll go past a nice graveyard (look upwards for an external view of the golden gate) and then go left at the bottom. You will now be on a busy road with a tiny sidewalk, wondering where you are going. Go under the railway bridge and past the BP petrol station and you will come to a really nice park that also allows you to have a closer look at the walls from the outside, including the Greek inscriptions. I would have liked to go to the sea front but it appears to be impossible because of the large road with apparently no crossings.
Just past the park on the left, off the busy road, is the Fatih council dogs home, see here: http://en.fatihbelediyesiyedikulehayvanbarinagi.com/. This is why you hear dogs barking!
The bus back to Taksim is about half an hour, or go back to the train station.
It's a nice trip out for the afternoon, if I can one day work out how to get to the sea I think it would be a great walk with a picnic.
You can get there easily on the train from Sirkeci (using the istanbul card), check the platform number on the sign above the barriers (destination is Halkali, dotless 'I'), the trains seem to run every 15 minutes or so. Get off at Yedikule and turn left out of the station, it's about five minutes walk.
Make sure you go into the gate house at the left of the golden gate, as you can walk right up to the roof and there is a brilliant view. Afterwards, it's worth walking around the outside. Go left out of the main gate and left again through the walls (be careful!) and go left down the road. You'll go past a nice graveyard (look upwards for an external view of the golden gate) and then go left at the bottom. You will now be on a busy road with a tiny sidewalk, wondering where you are going. Go under the railway bridge and past the BP petrol station and you will come to a really nice park that also allows you to have a closer look at the walls from the outside, including the Greek inscriptions. I would have liked to go to the sea front but it appears to be impossible because of the large road with apparently no crossings.
Just past the park on the left, off the busy road, is the Fatih council dogs home, see here: http://en.fatihbelediyesiyedikulehayvanbarinagi.com/. This is why you hear dogs barking!
The bus back to Taksim is about half an hour, or go back to the train station.
It's a nice trip out for the afternoon, if I can one day work out how to get to the sea I think it would be a great walk with a picnic.
Written December 24, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Whitney H
San Diego, CA232 contributions
Jul 2011 • Couples
We decided to hit this fortress on our last day and were so glad we made the effort. It's awesome for exploring and climbing around-- we spent 45 minutes to an hour wandering about nearly alone. Entry is 3 TL. We actually went to Chora Church first (also in the outskirts) and ended up taking a 12TL cab to Yedikule-- pretty awesome drive because you are along the Constantinople old city walls the whole drive (fyi, we could not find public transit from Chora to Yedikule). The train station about 1/2km from Yedikule got us back to Sultanahmet quickly (ask for directions from the ticket guy).
Written August 2, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LGedik
Istanbul, Türkiye56 contributions
May 2015 • Friends
We were hoping to visit but unfortunately the main gate was chained shut and nobody seemed to have the faintest idea if it would ever be open to the public again.
Written May 26, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pecalunus
Las Vegas, NV15 contributions
I saw the mosques and palace and they were ok, but this old castle, which is part of the city wall, was awesome. This was my favorite on the trip, so far.
It was like something out of a video game, like Skyrim or Prince of Persia. To be in a place that really is like that, is amazing. Few tourists and a fair entry price.
If you are a fantasy game player, you will probably think this is pretty cool. If you have a girl with you that isnt into your games, then take her to the palace herem, where she belongs.
It was like something out of a video game, like Skyrim or Prince of Persia. To be in a place that really is like that, is amazing. Few tourists and a fair entry price.
If you are a fantasy game player, you will probably think this is pretty cool. If you have a girl with you that isnt into your games, then take her to the palace herem, where she belongs.
Written June 9, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
fjane84
Island of Malta, Malta660 contributions
Feb 2014 • Couples
I really enjoyed this attraction, and anyone into ancient history would do, since the fortress was originally built by the Romans on the Theodosian Town Walls, built around 450 AD, the Golden Gate was the main entrance and one tower was a prison and the other used for weapon storage. The Ottomans around 1450 finally broke through the walls and conquered it, adding more towers to create a star shaped fortress.
The exterior of the fortress is impressively well preserved but the interior (although the steps and stone floors remain) takes a little imagination. Nevertheless, the views from the battlements give you an idea of the scale of the wall, seeing it leading off in the distance with towers at regular intervals.
There is no info at the site so do your research online! The chamber when Prince Osman was imprisoned and killed is atmospheric. It is a rare chance to experience some well preserved Roman architecture around Istanbul.
We walked there along the coast from Beyazit, it took around an hour. It cost 10 TL to get in, a bargain!
The exterior of the fortress is impressively well preserved but the interior (although the steps and stone floors remain) takes a little imagination. Nevertheless, the views from the battlements give you an idea of the scale of the wall, seeing it leading off in the distance with towers at regular intervals.
There is no info at the site so do your research online! The chamber when Prince Osman was imprisoned and killed is atmospheric. It is a rare chance to experience some well preserved Roman architecture around Istanbul.
We walked there along the coast from Beyazit, it took around an hour. It cost 10 TL to get in, a bargain!
Written February 9, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kevin W
Eugene, OR2 contributions
I am heading to Istanbul next month for my first time, and I have been hearing rumors that this is now closed, is that true or is it still possible to visit?
Thanks
AlanSwindale
Durham3 contributions
It was closed (ie you cant go inside) when I tried to visit it two weeks ago. I understand it has been closed since March.
rsankoff
stouffville29 contributions
can one get a tour of this fortress and where would it leave from and what is the duration and cost
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