Maiden’s tower

Maiden’s Tower or Leander’s tower, located in Istanbul in Uskudar district, conceals secrets and legends, worth of a romantic film.

The history of the tower

Its very name bears the aura of mystery, rendering the ancient building even more ambiguity... There are several versions of the tower’s appearance. According to one of then it was built by a commander from Athenes – Alcibiades for controlling Persian ships in the Bosphorus. According to another version, the tower was built still in the times of Constantine the Great as a watch-tower.
For the long years of existence the tower used to be a lighthouse and prison, and quarantine isolator. At present it beautifies the city with its wonderful aspect. In the period of 1943-45 the tower was repaired.

The legends of Maiden’s tower

The tower acquired its fame not only due to its architecture, but in many respects because of the ancient legends, connected with it.
One of the most popular ones tells about the daughter of Turkish sultan that was predicted death at the age of eighteen. To prevent her from this early decease her father locked her in this very tower. When the girl was eighteen the sultan brought her a pot with fruits in which was hiding a snake. The girl died of the snake’s bite, just as it was predicted.

There is one more legend about this tower – about a Persian prince, who found out that a beautiful girl is locked in the tower, came to Istanbul and sent her a big bunch of flower, in which the very snake was hiding. But the princess did not die. The prince swam across the channel, suck the poison out of her wound and saved her.

The third legend justifies the name of “Leander’s tower”. It twlls about the love of a young man, named Leander and the priestess of Aphrodita, named Gero, who violated the celibacy for him. In order to date with Gero Leander swam across the Dardanelles channel every time. He was swimming towards the light of fire that his beloved set in the tower. But once the light went out and the young man drowned. Having found out the horrible news the girl ascended the tower and jumped down into the sea from it.