Between Beşiktaş and Tophane, the coastline of the Bosporus is crossed by four natural valleys that run inland toward the ridge separating the Bosporus from the Golden Horn. These valleys provided possible routes by which Sultan Mehmed II could transport his ships over land during the siege of Constantinople.
The four valleys are:
The Valley of Beşiktaş, which rises toward Feriköy
The Valley of Dolmabahçe, leading to the Municipal Gardens
The Valley of Salı Pazarı, reaching the ridge near Taksim
The Valley of Tophane, which climbs toward Asmalı Mescit Street
Each of these valleys reaches the top of the ridge at a different point. The question of which valley was actually used by the Ottoman forces depends on two main factors. The first is how much trust we place in the statements of the historians who described the event. The second is how suitable each route would have been for dragging ships across steep and uneven ground Transport of the Ottoman Ships Over the Hills.
Criteria for Choosing the Route
The operation required a route that was short, practical, and easy to control. The ships had to be moved quickly and secretly, using rollers and greased planks. Therefore, steep slopes, long distances, and narrow passages would have made the task much harder.
When these conditions are considered, two of the four valleys stand out as the most likely choices: the Tophane route and the Dolmabahçe route. Both routes offer reasonable gradients and lead directly toward the Golden Horn.
Arguments in Favor of the Tophane Route
The Tophane route has strong support from both historical sources and geographical logic. First, it is the shortest route between the Bosporus and the Golden Horn. A shorter distance would have reduced the time and effort needed to complete the operation and lowered the risk of discovery.
Second, this route matches the distance given by the historian Critobulus, who states that the ships were carried a distance of eight stadia, which is roughly one mile. The length of the Tophane route closely fits this measurement Istanbul City Tour.
Because of these reasons, several respected scholars have supported this theory. Dr. Dethier and Dr. Paspates, both careful students of Constantinople’s topography, argue that the ships were transported along a path beginning at Tophane, continuing through Kumbaracı Street, then Asmalı Mescit Street, and finally descending toward the Petits Champs area near the Golden Horn.
This route would have allowed the Ottomans to move the ships efficiently while staying close to areas under their control.
The Dolmabahçe Route as an Alternative
The Dolmabahçe route also deserves consideration. It offers a broader valley and gentler slopes in some sections, which could have made it easier to move heavy vessels. However, this route is longer than the Tophane route and does not fit as closely with the distance reported by Critobulus.
Moreover, fewer historical sources seem to support the Dolmabahçe option directly, making it slightly less convincing than the Tophane route.
While absolute certainty is impossible, the balance of evidence favors the Tophane valley as the route used by Sultan Mehmed II to transport his ships overland. Its short length, agreement with historical measurements, and support from respected scholars make it the most likely path. The Dolmabahçe route remains a possible alternative, but it does not match the evidence as closely.