On the Asian Side of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey

When you cross Bosporus to go to the Anatolian part of Istanbul, you leave behind most of the tourist crowds and most of the city’s iconic sights. This side is primarily the living quarters of ordinary residents, quieter and of significantly lower profile than the European side.

A few defined points of interest do exist here, starting with probably the most known - the Maiden’s Tower.

The use of the small island for defensive and customs purposes started in the days of Ancient Greece, while the current lighthouse structure dates from the 18th century, having been restored many times over the years. The name comes from a legend not entirely dissimilar to the Sleeping Beauty fable, and it is simply an enchanting sight.

In the background in the shot above are the Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sofia, and the Blue Mosque. If we change the angle, we can place the Galata Tower in the frame.

The mosque in the background on the left has not been in a shot before - Fatih Mosque farther out on the historic Constantinople peninsula.

As lovely as the exterior views of the Maiden’s Tower are, setting foot on the island proper was probably the least worthwhile outlay of my time and money while in Istanbul. There is very little to see or to learn there. It ended up for me being mostly about crenelations-framed perspectives of the European-side sights. You will probably recognize them from past sets. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).