WHAT IS NEW IN ISTANBUL: YEDIKULE FORTRESS

Do you wish to have an event or celebrate your wedding at a very unique place? Here is the ‘Yedikule Fortress’ meaning the ‘Dungeons of the Seven Towers’ or ‘Fortress of the Seven Towers’ is a historical structure where it was used as a dungeon during the Roman and Ottoman Empires.

Yedikule Fortress has served in various ways during history. It served as a place, observation tower, girl’s art house, zoo, dungeon, and a concert and theatre venue. Nowadays, this structure serves as a museum that is built by castle walls and seven towers. These towers are:

Young Osman Tower: Being the youngest Ottoman Sultan, Young Osman was slaughtered on the second floor of this tower. Moreover, Yedikule Fortress bloody well is in this tower. This is also the part where many guilty people were tortured or executed.

Arsenal Tower: Located across Young Osman Tower, was used as an armory during the times the Fortress was connected to the government. Except for the two prisons, the state criminals were executed in this tower. During the period of Byzantine and Ottoman, this tower was worked as a dungeon.

Ahmet Tower: Firstly called Pastroma Tower during the Byzantine period, this tower was then named after the Ottoman Sultan who contributed to the restoration of the tower. Unfortunately, the tower was demolished due to earthquakes.

Treasure Tower: The treasure chamber of the Ottoman Empire was hidden in this tower. Within that time, all the precious stuff, gold, silver, and jewels were kept here.

Dungeon Tower: It is one of the two towers that served as dungeons. This dungeon was assigned for the noble people such as viziers, princes, and kings.

Cannon Tower: This part was served as a prison; however, it’s been damaged due to several fires.

Flag Tower: It is the most solid part of the fortress, this is the reason why the flag is situated on this tower, and where the janissaries kept guard.

The Legend of the Bizarre Noises Coming from the Yedikule Fortress

Legend has it that there is a pagan among the captives imprisoned in the dungeons, but neither the dungeon guards nor the other commanders realize that this man is a pagan. They think that he is a high-ranking missionary in European states. Some guards say that he is a spy and subject him to various tortures. The tortures are so exaggerated over time that they even try new types of torture on this spy. Because the pagan has trained himself in pain, he is resistant to pain. He neither makes the confessions the torturers want nor cries out in pain. This causes the dose of torture to increase day by day.

In the end, the Pagan cannot endure these tortures. At the time of his death, he says in an incomprehensible language, sometimes using words similar to ancient Latin, like prayer, of course, no one cares about these words at that time. The pagan's corpse melts away at an unexpected rate. These events are heard by the public, and some people think that the pagan is cursing.

The wish of the deceased pagan is that the souls of the torturers remain in the dungeons until the Messiah comes to the world, and when he comes, they will be released and given an account. This is why screams and even Latin-like words are sometimes heard in Yedikule Dungeons.