The Maiden's Tower, Kız Kulesi in Turkish, also known as Leander's Tower, stands on a rocky islet about 200 metres off the Salacak shore of Üsküdar, at the entrance to the Bosphorus. Restored from 2021 to 2023 by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, it reopened in May 2023 as a monument museum, open every day from 9am to 6pm. It can only be reached by boat, from Salacak on the Asian side or from Karaköy on the European side. Entry costs €27 for foreign visitors, plus the boat, about 110 TL according to the press.
Highlights
The restored tower
Most of today's buildings date from 1832-1833, under Sultan Mahmud II, when the islet served as a quarantine hospital against cholera. The 2021-2023 restoration removed recent additions, from the time when the tower housed a restaurant, to return the building to its original stone appearance, crowned with a glazed lantern and a lead dome.
The view from the top
A staircase leads to the upper floors and the tower's terrace. According to the ministry, its position overlooks the Bosphorus to the north, the Sea of Marmara to the south and the entrance of the Golden Horn to the west: the view takes in the old city, Galata and the Üsküdar shore.
The tower at sunset
Seen from the Salacak promenade, the tower stands out in the evening against the domes and minarets of the old city. This free viewpoint draws locals and visitors every evening, even without making the crossing.
The legend of Hero and Leander
The name "Leander's Tower" comes from an ancient legend actually set in the Dardanelles: Leander swam across the strait every night to meet Hero, a priestess of Aphrodite, guided by her torch, until the stormy night when he drowned. Western travellers in the 18th century attached it to this tower.
The history of the islet
The rock has carried several buildings over the centuries, often destroyed by earthquakes, storms and the sea, then rebuilt. The tower has been used to control maritime traffic, as a lighthouse and as a quarantine hospital.
Infos pratiques
Tips
Prices checked in October 2026: €27 entry for foreign visitors, according to the ministry's official museum price list, plus the boat transfer, paid separately: about 110 TL according to the press, an amount not officially published; ask at the ticket office whether it covers the return trip. The MüzeKart, the museum card reserved for Turkish citizens, is valid. Under-18s must be accompanied by their parents. The ticket office closes at 5pm: take the 4:30pm boat from Salacak at the latest. Crossings may be changed or cancelled in bad weather. To see the tower from the water without landing, the [Bosphorus cruise](/fr/attractions/croisiere-sur-le-bosphore) passes close by.
How to get there
Salacak pier: Salacak Mah., Harem Sahil Yolu Cd. No:26/1, Üsküdar, about fifteen minutes' walk south of the [Üsküdar](/fr/attractions/uskudar) pier (ferries from Eminönü, Karaköy and Beşiktaş; Marmaray and metro M5, Üsküdar station). Boats to the tower from 9:30am, every 30 minutes to 1 hour. Karaköy pier: Rıhtım Cd., in front of the Ziraat Bankası branch, in the [Galata and Karaköy](/fr/articles/quartier-galata-karakoy-istanbul) district (tram T1, Karaköy stop); daytime departures at 9:30am, 11am, 12:30pm, 2pm and 3:30pm, returning one hour after each departure. Boat times are published by the ministry on its museums website.
Opening hours
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