The centuries-old Yedikule Fortress, one of Istanbul’s most striking historic silhouettes, is drawing crowds to its moonlit night tour through its notorious dungeons guided only by lantern light.
Held twice weekly, participants move through the dim corridors and towering stone walls of the ancient complex, experiencing the eerie yet captivating atmosphere of the dungeons.
As lanterns cast long shadows across the structures, visitors describe the sensation as a brief passage back in time.
Tour guide Turan Oflaz said the night tours have quickly become a public favorite. “We organize the lantern tour twice a week, on Wednesday and Sunday evenings,” he explained.
“At night, our theme is the Yedikule dungeon experience. We visit the tower where Sultan Osman II was executed and the neighboring tower, once used to hold prisoners of war. After a one-hour program, we complete the route. People really enjoy the ambiance.”
“When we tell the story here, we can see that visitors truly sense those historical moments. It becomes an unforgettable experience,” he said, adding that the tour ends with a completely different view as groups climb atop the 1,600-year-old Roman walls.
For some participants, the emotional impact is even deeper. Manve Şanlı, who joined after hearing about the tour from friends, said the night setting heightened the sense of solitude and history. “I had heard it was always full, so I applied through the municipality’s app,” she said.
“The atmosphere was incredible, and our guide explained everything in detail. Seeing a place at night is very different from seeing it during the day. You can feel the silence, the loneliness, maybe even the pain of the people who were once kept here.”
The tour has been free of charge since its launch in 2021, following a major restoration led by Fatih Municipality. Following years of research, last year, the fortress also gained back its iconic cone-shaped roofs, a feature lost in the 19th century but present in engravings from the 16th century. Yedikule Fortress supervisor Hakan Sain emphasized that registration is the only requirement.
“Visitors simply sign up for the preferred session on the municipality’s website,” he said. “When they arrive, we provide lanterns and guide them through the historical atmosphere. Registrations for the tours on Wednesdays and Sundays open every Friday. Others have since launched similar night tours, even at Topkapı Palace, but the atmosphere here is truly unique.”
