In one of the most beautiful parts of Istanbul, the place where the Bosporus Strait is the narrowest and where there is an area many people call the "Sweet Waters of Asia," is Anatolian Fortress or Anatolian Castle. This fortress is in the area in Istanbul people know as a district of Beykoz. This fantastic fortress is from the 14th century, exactly from 1395, and Sultan Yildirim Beyazit ordered its construction, which preceded the conquest of Istanbul by the Ottoman Empire. Sultan Bezayit built this fortress to be the counterpart to Rumeli Fortress, which belonged to the opposite side.
Although much smaller in relation to the Rumeli Castle, it is a fantastic and beautiful edifice worthy of attention. Contrary to Rumeli Fortress, which is on the European side of Istanbul, Anatolian Fortress was in the Asian part of this wonderful city. Another name for this fortress is Guzelce Hisar, but it is not much used, except in some historical documents. The highest fortress walls are about 25 meters, while their thickness is at an average of 2 to 5 meters, depending on the position. The space which the fortress covers is about 7,000 square meters. The outside parts of the fortress have openings for cannons, which was supposed to help a possible fortress defence in the event when that might be needed. Anatolian Fortress was built on the foundations and ruins of the old temple. The temple belonged to the Byzantine period and was devoted to Zeus. Due to its historical value, the fortress is now a museum in the open, ready for curious tourists.
Those who want to see other sites can certainly visit the once opposing Rumeli Fortress, then the Maiden’s Tower, as well as the fascinating Domabahce Palace.