Maiden's Tower
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The Maiden's Tower (Turkish: Kız Kulesi, Ancient Greek: Leander's Tower/Tower of Leandros) was a lighthouse located on a small islet at the southern entrance of the Bosphorus Strait, off the coast of Üsküdar in Constantinople.
History
The tower was first built by the ancient Athenian general Alcibiades in 408 B.C.E to control the movements of the Persian ships in the Bosphorus. During that period, the tower was located between the ancient cities of Byzantion and Chrysopolis.
It was later enlarged and rebuilt as a fortress by the Byzantine Emperor Alexius Comnenus in 1110 C.E. Later, it was restored and slightly modified several times by Ottoman Turks, most significantly in 1509 and 1763.
In the year 1259, the Assassin Niccolò Polo had an intricate structure built beneath the Maiden's Tower to conceal the fourth Masyaf Key. In 1511, fellow Assassin Ezio Auditore sailed to the Maiden's Tower and worked out its secrets, procuring the Key in the process.
Gallery
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The Maiden's Tower in 1511.
Source
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