Anadolu Hisarı fort and Küçüksu palace

Anadolu Hisari Fortress and Küçüksu palace are two of Istanbul’s great tourist attractions. The two sites are within a short walking distance from each other, making it possible to explore them on the same day.

The historic Istanbul venues are just a seven-minute walk away from one another. After exploring the Anadolu Hisari, a simple walk over to Küçüksu Kasrı for further exploration of Istanbul’s incredible past. Both sites are within a short distance of other great local venues to investigate.

Here some tips from Istanbulpoints.com about How to get to Küçüksu palace and Anadolu Hisarı fortress, what else to explore at this part of the city.

Küçüksu palace (Küçüksu kasrı)

History of Küçüksu palace

Küçüksu Kasri is just a seven-minute walk from Anadolu Hisari. It is also a historical location in Istanbul and is well worth a visit after exploring Anadolu Hisari. Also known as the Little Water Pavilion or Skywater Pavilion, Küçüksu Kasri was finished in 1857 as a summer retreat in the Beykoz district. Küçüksu Kasri is situated on the Asian side of Istanbul and lies between Anadolu Hisari and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge.

The pavilion was a popular stop-off point for Ottoman sultans while hunting expeditions or on visits to the countryside. Küçüksu Kasri has nine rooms and is ornately designed. The pavilion was decorated in an elaborate manner and built in an Ottoman Baroque style. The Balyan family were the architects behind the structure’s design. They were the sultan’s favorite architects of the time.

Modern Küçüksu Kasri

Modern-day Küçüksu Kasri is still richly decorated with elegantly made furniture, rugs, and fixtures. The nine-room pavilion showcases the lavish imperial lifestyle the sultans enjoyed. Visitors will see a variety of expensively assembled decorations including Bohemian crystal chandeliers, ornate wooden floors, silk carpets, and Italian marble. All nine rooms in Küçüksu Kasri are equally decorated in elaborate items.

Interestingly, Küçüksu Kasri did not have any bedrooms constructed inside it. The pavilion was simply meant to be used during the daytime as a stop-off point for the sultan’s hunting party and friends.

Due to an increase in traffic in the area, Küçüksu Kasri was pushed off of its foundation and towards the Bosphorus strait. The road near the pavilion was rerouted to prevent traffic from further affecting the building. In addition, work was completed to reinforce the location.

One of the best reasons to visit the pavilion is the lack of crowds and tourists. Küçüksu Kasri may be a popular tourist site, but compared to some of the more well-known (thanks to major travel guides and websites), Küçüksu Kasri has a lack of crowds that will benefit visitors.

Küçüksu Kasri is a little further away from some of Istanbul’s other popular tourist sites. The atmosphere is quiet and relaxed, making it a great option for a day out. Küçüksu Kasri is ideal if you have seen the more well-known palaces and mosques, and want a more laid-back experience.

Open hours and entrance fee

Visitors can explore the Küçüksu Kasri from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The pavilion is open from Tuesday through Sunday. It is closed only on Mondays. The venue has a cafe giving visitors the chance to eat or drink during a viewing. Admission to Küçüksu Kasri is 40 TL.

How to get to Küçüksu Kasri

Küçüksu Kasri is just a seven-minute walk from Anadolu Hisari. The pavilion can be reached by bus from Uskudar. Travelers can take the ferry from the European side if Istanbul to the Asian side to reach Uskudar. Visitors can also take the underwater train. The Marmaray underwater train will take visitors to the Asian side of the city. Once visitors are on the Asian side of Istanbul, they can get on the No. 15 bus which goes to the pavilion. Boat trips are also available and drop visitors off near Küçüksu Kasri.

Anadolu Hisarı Fortress

Constructed between 1393 and 1394, the Anadolu Hisari was erected on the narrowest point of the Bosphorus strait. It was constructed during Sultan Bayezid I reign of the Ottoman Empire. The fortress was initially built to keep watch over the region. It has a 25 meters high, quadratic-shaped main tower inside the walls of a pentagon. The irregularly shaped pentagon has five watchtowers at each corner.

Anadolu Hisari fortress History

Anadolu Hisari was built to support the initial siege attempts of Constantinople near the end of the 1300s. Bayezid had the fortress built to help his campaign to overtake Constantinople. However, that ended at the Battle of Ankara when he was defeated.

Later, Sultan Mehmed II added to the structure, building three additional watchtowers, extensions, and a thicker wall. Living quarters and a warehouse were also added to the fortress. Another fortress, Fortress Rumeli Hisari, was constructed on the European side of Istanbul. With a fortress on both sides of the Bosphorus Strait, the maritime traffic was controlled, allowing the Ottomans to overtake Constantinople.

After Constantinople was conquered, Anadolu Hisari became a prison for the military. However, after a few centuries, it fell into disrepair.

Modern Anadolu Hisari

In more recent times, the area around Anadolu Hisari became a popular site for houses and mansions. The fortress lies on the waterfront which was an ideal location for many wealthy Istanbul residents to construct large homes.

The area around Anadolu Hisari looks very contemporary today. Anadolu Hisari is a trip back in time and looks slightly out of place due to being a historical location amongst a modern area. Visitors will learn just how imposing the fortress once was when exploring it.

Today Anadolu Hisari fortress is under restoration but we still can see the external walls and walk around the fort. So if you plan to visit Küçüksu palace don’t forget to take a look at historical fort also.

What to explore nearby

There are some hidden and interesting places near Anadolu Hisari fortress. For example, there is a restaurant Pembe Yalı right near the water so you can seat on the terrace and enjoy the view of Bosphorus strait.

But more interesting and cozy place also with Bosphorus view is Telgrafhane 1855. It’s a coffeshop and patisserie with interesting and delicious desserts. Also, the coffehouse is taking place in the old building of historical telegraph which was working in the period of Ottoman empire. The message at first was sent to Üsküdar center and then reached the european side. But in 1866 the line was laid between Anadoli Hisari and Rumeli Hisari so the messages were sent directly.

When you walk between Anadolu Hisari fort and Küçüksu palace you can see that there is a Göksu river. There are a lot of cafes and restaurants nearby, where you can take a break and have a cup of coffee. Also, you can rent a canoe or take a boat ride through Bosphorus waters.

How to get to Anadolu Hisari

You can get to Anadolu Hisari fort by bus from Üsküdar pier. If you stay at European side at first you should get to Üsküdar by ferry.

After ferry walk about 2 minutes to the bus station Üsküdar Cami önü whish is right in front of pier and take a bus: 15, 15P, 15T or 15ŞN to Anadolu Hisari.

The destination between Küçüksu kasrı and Anadolu hisarı is about 5-6 minutes by foot.