Garipçe Kalesi — Attraction in Sarıyer

GARİPÇE KALESİ VE GÖZETLEME KULESİ: BOĞAZ’IN UNUTULAN NÖBETÇİLERİ

Garipçe Kalesi, Osmanlı Padişahı III. Mustafa döneminde (1757–1774), Macar asıllı Fransız mühendis ve mimar Baron de Tott tarafından inşa ettirilmiştir. Kayaların oyulmasıyla yapılan bu kale, dönemin savunma mimarisine örnek teşkil eder. Kalede bir cami, kışla, talim alanları ve çeşitli askerî yapılar bulunmaktaydı. Yapım amacı, Karadeniz’den gelebilecek düşman saldırılarına karşı İstanbul Boğazı’nı korumaktı.

Kalenin hemen yukarısında yer alan Gözetleme Kulesi ise, ünlü Osmanlı denizcisi ve Kaptan-ı Derya Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Paşa tarafından 1778 yılında inşa ettirilmiştir. Bu kule, Karadeniz yönünden gelen gemileri gözlemlemek ve olası tehditlere karşı erken uyarı sağlamak amacıyla kullanılmıştır. Geniş bir alana yayılan yapı, zamanla savunma işlevini yitirmiş ve köylüler tarafından harman yeri olarak kullanılmaya başlanmıştır. Ancak son 30–35 yıldır kaderine terk edilmiştir.

İstanbul’un surları kadar önemli olan bu kaleler, şehir tarihinin unutulmuş ama çok değerli parçalarıdır. Garipçe Kalesi de bu anlamda, “adı gibi garip kalan” bir miras olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır.

Not: Garipçe Kalesi, İstanbul’da ayakta kalan 9 kaleden biridir.

Kale ve kule, Beykoz ilçesine bağlı Garipçe Köyü’nde yer almaktadır.

GARIPCE CASTLE AND WATCHTOWER: THE FORGOTTEN GUARDIANS OF THE BOSPHORUS

Garipçe Castle was commissioned during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Mustafa III (1757–1774) by the Hungarian-born French engineer and architect Baron de Tott. Carved into the rocks, the fortress stands as a significant example of the military architecture of its time. Within the complex were a mosque, barracks, training grounds, and various military buildings. Its main purpose was to protect the Bosphorus from potential naval threats coming from the Black Sea.

Just above the castle lies the watchtower, built in 1778 by the renowned Ottoman admiral, Kapudan Pasha Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha. The tower was constructed to monitor enemy ships approaching from the Black Sea and to serve as an early warning system. Spanning a large area, the tower eventually lost its military function and was later used by local villagers as a threshing floor. Unfortunately, for the past 30–35 years, it has been left to deteriorate.

These castles, as important as Istanbul’s famous city walls, are valuable yet often forgotten parts of the city’s historical heritage. In this regard, Garipçe Castle truly lives up to its name—garip, meaning “lonely” or “neglected”.

Note: Garipçe Castle is one of the nine remaining castles in Istanbul.

Both the castle and the tower are located in Garipçe Village, within the Beykoz district...

You can park the car at the top but it is a nice little walk up. Also roads seemed to be very narrow up there. On the top of the hill you find this wonderful, little place of history the Garipçe Castle. We went inside which was quiet amazingbut pretty dark at some points. The sea view from the inside the castle and from outside is amazing. You might like to spend some time up there and watch the sea. In that case bring your own chairs. As in many places also here that people throw their rubbish everywhere. Just below the castles are nice fish restaurants and along the street people from that village sell their good. I loved the atmosphere in Garipçe. But on weekends it gets...

It's a very scenic place to hang out with friends and family for a picnic or picture session plan. I definitely think that it's a good idea if you bring mangaal with you. As you get an opportunity to have an open area to use as you wish. You even get to see the 4th bosphorus bridge, boats and the scenery of the Rocky costal Beach. Although the place is gorgeous, the rubbish and litter around the place ruins it all. I enjoyed sitting on the gorge which is about 90m above sea level. It's worth a try to photographers and...