The Maiden's Tower, also known as Leander's Tower since the medieval Byzantine period, is a tower lying on a small islet located at the southern entarce of the Bosphorus strait 200 m from the coast of Uskudar in Istanbul. The wooden tower built in 1110 by the Byzantine Emperor Alexius Comnenus was destroyed during the earthquake of 1509, and burned in 1721. Since then it was used as a lighthouse, and the surrounding walls were repaired in 1731 and 1734. From 1829 the tower was used as a quarantine station, and in 1832 was restored by Sultan Mahmud 2. Restored again by the harbour authority in 1945, the most recent restoration took place in 1998, when steel supports were added around the ancient tower as a precaution after the 17 August 1999 earthquake. The interior of the tower has been transformed into a popular café and restaurant, with an excellent view of the former Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman capital. Private boats make trips to the tower several times a day.
By Ayşenur Güroğlu
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