Rumeli Hisarı is at the narrowest part of the European side of Bosphorus and it is just on the opposite of Anadolu Hisarı between Bebek and Baltalimanı. Rumeli Hisarı also gave its name to the region where it is situated.

Yıldırım Bayezid took the control of transition from the Bosphorus by building Anadoluhisarı. On the other hand, during the preparations for conquest of Istanbul Fatih Sultan Mehmet first strengthened Anadolu Hisarı by enclosing it with walls. After this, he wanted to take full control of transition from Bosphorus by constructing a second fortress on the opposite of it, therefore Rumeli Hisarı was built.

According to the documents, The Fortress, whose original plan was drawn by Fatih Sultan Mehmed, 1000 craftsman and over 2000 workers worked night and day during the construction of the fortress and it was completed within 4 months. The three towers on the ramparts were built by Fatih’s viziers Halil Pasha, Zağanos Pasha and Saruca Pasha.

Together with the conquest of Istanbul, the function of both Anadolu Hisarı and Rumeli Hisarı came to an end. It is known that after the conquest of İstanbul on 29th of May in 1453 it was used as a place where criminal janissaries were punished and where members of consulate fighting with the state were taken into custody.

The Fortress was repaired in 1918, completely revisioned in 1953 and the area where there is the minaret of a former mosque was converted into an open-air theatre. Immediately attracting attention among the architectures of the Bosphorus, Rumeli Hisarı hosts to concerts, theatres and a diversity of culture and art activities nowadays.