Anatolian Fortress

The Anatolian Fortress on the Anatolian (Asian) side of the Bosporus in Istanbul, Turkey is a medieval fortress and an open-air museum. It is also known as Güzelce Hisar or the Beautacious Castle. Istanbul’s oldest surviving Turkish structure, it dates back to the 14th century and was built as a watch fort made of bricks and square-cut block stones. Although a museum, one can only visit its outer walls; the main road passes through it.

It is known predominantly for its citadel which features a 25m tall quadratic main tower along with five watchtowers at the corners. There are old mansions as well as waterfront houses spread out amidst the fortress’ remains. It is a great place for taking photographs, not only of the fortress itself but also of the Rumeli Fortress and the Marmara Sea. There are some good restaurants located nearby as well.