Count Nikolai Tolstoy, grandnephew of Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, and his wife Georgina toured Istanbul’s historic Yedikule Fortress Friday, hosted by Fatih Mayor Mehmet Ergün Turan.
Tolstoy said he was visiting Türkiye for the first time and expressed admiration for the city and its history. He recounted that his great-grandfather, Pyotr Andreyevich Tolstoy, served as a Russian ambassador in Istanbul during the Ottoman Empire and was imprisoned at Yedikule for about two years. “I have great respect for the Ottoman Empire. This is a prison, and it is very emotional for me,” he said.
He noted that his great-grandfather wrote letters from the dungeons to Moscow, many of which have survived. Tolstoy praised Istanbul’s preserved historic sites and libraries, saying they offer a “magical” glimpse into the past.
Mayor Turan highlighted the significance of the visit, noting that Yedikule was historically used for high-ranking detainees and that Tolstoy’s presence adds to the city’s living historical legacy.
Following the meeting, the Tolstoys toured the dungeons and will continue visiting other historic sites in Istanbul.
