Tracing gendered narratives of maiden towers in Anatolia

Across Anatolia’s three coasts, there are castles or towers on small, deserted islands, mainly built for defence in the Byzantine period. During the Ottoman period, these structures were named Maiden’s Tower, and local stories about princesses locked in these towers emerged, later becoming promoted as tourist attractions. This article reveals how the naming and myths of these towers contrast with their male-dominant architectural reality and criticises the narratives’ patriarchal mentality that restricts women to inaccessible spaces. The study employs a conceptual framework on storytelling in architecture, reviews prior research on selected Maiden’s Towers and Castles, and analyses travel literature to trace the tales’ origins. It discusses the interplay between narratives and the architecture of Maiden Towers through feminist methodologies and architectural analysis. The conclusion clarifies how the study offers a critical perspective on gender codes in architecture, narratives, and the conservation of Maiden Towers.