City Walls of İstanbul

The mighty fortifications protected the city from invasion for almost 1,000 years and ensured the survival of the Eastern Roman Empire. The Theodosian land walls were built under Emperor Theodosius II in the 5th century and are still considered a masterpiece of their kind. Over a length of about 20 km, they had 82 towers and 12 gates. The wide walls were equipped with all the tricks the owners had at their disposal, and many of them have been preserved to this day.

Surrounding certain sections of the walls are historic gardens, known as bostans, which in the past provided fruit, vegetables, and greens to the adjoining neighbourhoods. Stretching across much of the Old City Peninsula, the easiest places to start a walk along the walls are Yedikule Fortress, and Ayvansaray.

A walk along and on top of İstanbul’s city walls takes you through many of the Golden Horn’s historic neighbourhoods, including Edirnekapı, Topkapı, and Yedikule. In the past, the walls consisted of two layers and nine entrance gates.