Rumeli Hisarı Fortress: history, opening hours and views

Updated on October 1, 2026

Rumeli Hisarı, also called Boğazkesen ("the strait-cutter"), is the Ottoman fortress on the European shore of the Bosphorus, in the Sarıyer district. Sultan Mehmed II had it built between March and August 1452, where the strait is narrowest, to control shipping before the conquest of Constantinople. Opposite, on the Asian shore, stands the fortress of Anadolu Hisarı. A museum since 1968, the site has been closed to the public for more than six years for a restoration run by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB). As of 1 October 2026, no reopening date has been announced. In the meantime, its walls are easy to see from outside: from the waterfront road and, above all, from a boat on the Bosphorus.

Highlights

The three great towers

They bear the names of the viziers who oversaw their construction: Saruca Pasha (28 metres), Çandarlı Halil Pasha (22 metres), by the water, and Zağanos Pasha (21 metres). Crenellated curtain walls link them as they climb the hill. The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge crosses the strait just to the north.

The view from the Bosphorus

From the water, you see the whole fortress, from the quays to the top of the hill. The Şehir Hatları long cruise passes it on the way out and on the way back: see our [Bosphorus cruise](/fr/attractions/croisiere-sur-le-bosphore) page.

The museum collections

According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the museum displays Ottoman cannonballs, some of them used in the siege of 1453, cannons from the reign of Bayezid II and the chain that closed the Golden Horn. The Zağanos Pasha Tower bears the first Turkish inscription on the Bosphorus. These areas will stay out of reach until the work is finished.

Infos pratiques

Tips

As the site is closed, do not rely on the opening hours still shown on the museum's official page, on the website of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism: check the latest news on the restoration before you go. No price is given here while the fortress remains closed. The Rumelihisarı neighbourhood, at the foot of the walls, has many waterfront cafés and restaurants, popular for a Turkish breakfast.

How to get there

Yahya Kemal Caddesi No: 42, Rumelihisarı Mahallesi, 34470 Sarıyer, Istanbul. From Kabataş, the terminus of tram line T1, bus 25E follows the Bosphorus via Ortaköy and Bebek to the Rumeli Hisarı stop. From Bebek, allow about 20 minutes on foot along the waterfront promenade. [Ortaköy Mosque](/fr/attractions/mosquee-d-ortakoy) is on the same bus line.

Opening hours

Idéal : Mornings, from the Bosphorus

Closed for restoration (no reopening date announced as of 1 October 2026; walls visible from outside, from the waterfront road and from the Bosphorus)