Rumeli Fortress

The Rumeli Fortress, a walled-in enclosure 250 meters long and 130 meters wide, is located on the European (Rumeli) side of the Bosphorus Strait. Built in 1452 by Sultan Mehmet II prior to the conquest of Istanbul, his aim was to establish control of the waterway at this narrowest point of the strait (660m) where ships would need to approach the shore to avoid the strong currents and thus to block any possible sea support which might have come from the Black Sea to assist the flailing Byzantines.

It is hence known as the Controller of the Straits. Situated on the narrowest point of the Bosphorus strait, the Rumeli Fortress faces another smaller fortress already erected on the Asian side. The construction work finished after approximately 4 months and a half. Later, the Rumeli Fortress became a storage facility and a prison for local and foreign diplomats. It was repaired immediately after the 1509 earthquake and survived a 17th century fire. Now it is turned into a museum, displaying the canons that were used during the conquest. There is also an outdoor mini-amphitheater used during the various music festivals in Istanbul.