Istanbul Toy Museum

Istanbul Toy Museum review Rate it

Although this little island was occupied by a fortress in Byzantine times, the tower dates from the last century. In Turkish it's known as Kız Kulesi, or Maiden's Tower - supposedly after a princess who was confined here after a prophet predicted she would die from a snake bite. The fatal bite was duly delivered by a serpent that arrived in a basket of fruit. In English it's even more randomly known as Leander's Tower, after the Greek hero who swam the Hellespont. The tower has been used as a quarantine centre, lighthouse and customs control point. To get here, walk along the promenade to Salacak (about 15 minutes from central Üsküdar), where boats leave every 15 minutes from noon to 1am. The return trip costs YTL4. These days, the tower is a café-restaurant decked out like an Ottoman banquet hall, which is very popular with wedding parties. It's a scenic spot for an average lunch, but dinner is an expensive, reservations-only affair.