In the collective imagination, the Bosphorus It alone embodies the encounter between East and West. This unique position has made it a separate place since ancient times. Even today, the strait has lost nothing of its symbolic burden or beauty. And even if it is now crossed by three bridges or under its waters thanks to the Marmaray railway tunnel, it remains possible, as James Bond in From Russia with Love, to enjoy this single light from the deck of a boat.
Many companies offer daily cruises from one to two hours on the Bosphorus. For about ten euro, they allow you to sail like Bond and Tatiana in 1963, but also to approach several filming locations of The World Is Not Enough, especially the emblematic silhouette of the Kız Kulesi (Leandre Tower).
East Bank – Istanbul – Bosphorus
Loyalty: ★★☆☆ – Access: ★☆☆
Most cruises follow little or no the same route as those taken in From Russia with Love. Once Gold horn left, where the majority of the docks are located, the boat runs along the European shore and the Galata district. However, the first interesting plans are located on the other side, towards the Asian shore. The exact location of the 1963 shots is impossible, especially from a tourist boat. First because the landscape has changed profoundly: the oriental coast, once relatively clear, is now largely urbanized. Only a few landmarks, such as the Tour de Léandre or the surrounding hills, still make it possible to orientate. Higher now dominates the Çamlıca Tower, 369 meters high.
The focus used by director Terence Young also compresses distances and visually brings the two shores closer. However, it can be assumed that some images were shot at the Dolmabahçe Palace. On one of the planes, we clearly distinguish between Selimiye Barracks (Selimiye boxes) , perfectly identifiable today, even if they seem far less isolated than in 1963.
The few photos I post here were mostly taken back, when we were closer to the east coast. They make it possible to be more faithful to what is seen in the film.
Here is the company we chose: simple and efficient, with the certainty of passing in front of all the places « James Bond »
Dolmabahçe Palace – Istanbul – Bosphorus
Loyalty: ★★★★ – Access: ★☆☆
The scene between Tania and Bond on the ferry bridge was shot on the morning of May 12, 1963, as evidenced by the call sheet opposite. The set of white buildings that one sees on the east bank (that where Tania appears) is none other than the famous Dolmabahçe Palace.
From the deck of the boat, the Dolmabahçe Palace opens its stone façade, nearly six hundred meters long. Built between 1843 and 1856 under Sultan Abdülmecid I and intended to replace the palace of Topkapı as the main residence of the sultans, it does not leave indifferent. No wonder to see Terence Young choose him as background for this ambianceCold War spying proper to the stage.
Today, the palace is perfectly preserved and maintained, and it is quite easy to find a frame close to that of the film.
Küçüksu Pavilion – Istanbul – Bosphorus
Loyalty: ★★★★ – Access: ★☆☆
After 35 to 40 minutes of boating, pleasant as well as relaxing after our three days in the footsteps of James Bond, we finally reach the point of half-tour. And it is precisely here, on the Asian side, that we can observe the Küçüksu Pavilion, which serves as a residence for Elektra King in The World Is Not Enough.
Like all the scenes filmed in Turkey from the 19th EON saga film, the sequence is fragmented: general shots filmed by the second team in Istanbul, the interiors having been shot in England in Luton Hoo. The exteriors, especially the scene of intrusion into a security post, were reconstructed in studio with the inlaid Küçüksu Pavilion, for a rather unconvincing result.
Kız Kulesi (Tour de Léandre) – Istanbul – Bosphorus
Loyalty: ★★★★ – Access: ★☆☆
After climbing the Bosphorus along the Asian coast, one arrives near one of the most emblematic places in Istanbul: the Kız Kulesi (Leandre Tower). From the boat, the Kız Kulesi is placed on its island, only a hundred meters from the coast. In the face of the immensity of the Bosphorus, what is often regarded as a lighthouse is in reality an old customs post, in its present form dating from the Ottoman period. Recently restored, it is accessible to visitors.
But for a James Bond fan, interest remains limited: once again, all interiors have been shot in studio and no actor actually made the trip to Istanbul. To recreate the plans, we used a drone, which we were able to take off from the Asian shore, not without difficulty as there were many people. The plan where James Bond is seen jumping from the tower shows the European shore.
The end of the journey quickly brings us back to the Golden Horn. Time to enjoy the Bosphorus and a moment of relative calm. This cruise is really to be done: even if it is clearly in a very touristic experience, the trip is worth a visit.
This blog shares my travel experiences, from unavoidable destinations to the most original and exclusive places. Each article is the result of careful work and a real time investment. If you use this information elsewhere or for your own adventures, consider citing your sources and thanking – that's what I do myself, and it's always fun.
Julien Abauzit (JaBoz)
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