Yoros Castle

The origins of Yoros Castle date back to antiquity, when the area around Anadolu Kavağı was a Greek colony and a temple, dedicated to Zeus among others, stood on Yusa Tepesi hill. In the 3rd century, the region was a battleground against northern invaders, such as the Goths. The castle itself was built during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII (1259–1282) to strengthen the defense of Constantinople after its recapture from the Crusaders in 1262. In 1305, the castle first fell to the followers of Osman I. Between 1300 and 1350, the Genoese briefly controlled the complex before it reverted to the Byzantine Empire by the end of the 14th century. Sultan Bayezid I conquered Yoros Castle during his campaigns at the end of the 14th century. After the conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the castle definitively became part of the Ottoman Empire. Under Sultan Murad IV (1623–1640), 20-meter-high towers and garrison houses, each with 100 cannons, were expanded on both sides of the Bosphorus, at Yoros and Rumeli Kavağı, to guard against Cossack attacks from the Black Sea. Sultan Abdülhamid I also reinforced the complex again in 1783 during the war with Russia.

The Yoros Castle ruins are located in Anadolu Kavağı, a district of Istanbul in the Beykoz district, in the Marmara region of Turkey. It is situated at an elevation of approximately 123 meters above sea level.

Today, the Yoros Castle ruins are accessible to visitors and can be explored. It is a popular excursion destination, offering insights into its long and eventful history.

• Rumeli Hisarı Fortress (fortress), approx. 10.9 km away
• Küçüksu Palace (residence), approx. 11.4 km away
• Beylerbeyi Palace (residence), approx. 15.8 km away
• Çırağan Palace (residence), approx. 16.3 km away