Choosing the Best Route for the Sultan’s Plan
When we compare the Dolmabahçe route and the Tophane route, it is not enough to look only at the distance between the starting point and the Golden Horn. If distance alone had been the only concern, the Sultan might have preferred the Tophane route, since it was shorter. However, Sultan Mehmed II had many other important factors to consider when planning such a bold and complex operation. These additional factors strongly favor the Dolmabahçe route The Distance Covered on the Dolmabahçe Route.
The Need for Secrecy and Surprise
One of the Sultan’s main goals was to surprise the enemy. The historical sources clearly show that the ships were moved at night, which proves that secrecy was a key part of the plan. For this reason, the chosen route needed to be hidden from Greek observation as much as possible. It was also important that the work could be done without interference from the defenders of Constantinople.
The Dolmabahçe route met these needs far better than the Tophane route. It lay farther away from the chain that blocked the entrance to the Golden Horn and from the Greek and Latin guard ships stationed near it. This distance reduced the risk that the defenders would notice the preparations or attempt to stop them.
Problems with the Tophane Route
The area now known as Tophane was located only a short distance outside the chain and the ships guarding it. Any large-scale activity in this area would have been easily seen by the enemy. The Sultan’s preparations were enormous and could not have been hidden. These included leveling the ground, laying down wooden sleepers and planks, building cradles to carry the ships, and assembling a large workforce.
In addition, the Sultan had to gather seventy to eighty vessels in one place and collect hundreds, possibly thousands, of men to pull them out of the water and drag them over land. Such activity would have been impossible to conceal at Tophane. The noise, movement, and sheer size of the operation would have immediately drawn the attention of the defenders Tour Packages Balkan.
Advantages of the Dolmabahçe Route
By contrast, the Dolmabahçe route offered space, distance, and protection from view. The shoreline near Dolmabahçe and Beşiktaş was more suitable for assembling ships and workers without constant observation by enemy forces. The surrounding terrain allowed preparations to be made more quietly and with less risk of interruption.
Because the area was farther from the chain and the guarded waters of the Golden Horn, the Sultan could organize the operation in relative safety. This made it easier to prepare the road, place the wooden tracks, and arrange the manpower needed to move the ships. Once everything was ready, the ships could be transported swiftly and secretly during the night.
Achieving Complete Surprise
The success of the operation depended on taking the defenders completely by surprise. When the Ottoman ships appeared inside the Golden Horn, the shock to the Greeks and their allies was immense. This surprise would not have been possible if the preparations had been carried out in full view of the enemy, as would have been the case at Tophane.
Although the Tophane route may have been shorter, it was unsuitable for the Sultan’s broader objectives. Secrecy, safety, and the ability to prepare without interference were far more important than distance alone. In all these respects, the Dolmabahçe route was clearly superior. It provided the conditions necessary for careful preparation, nighttime movement, and total surprise—key elements that helped ensure the success of Sultan Mehmed II’s daring plan during the siege of Constantinople.
