Rumelihisarı on the Bosporus Strait at Istanbul, Türkiye

Where Asia meets Europe. Rumelihisari in Istanbul, Türkiye

Though Türkiye usually lives up to expectations as a warm Mediterranean country, it sometimes gets a bit of snow. This winter dusting of its largest city, Istanbul, emphasises the lines of Rumelihisari, the medieval fortress in the centre of this image.

The structure, also known as Rumeli Fortress, was built in the 15th century by an Ottoman sultan as he prepared to lay siege to Constantinople, as a way to cut off naval traffic through the narrow Bosporus Strait.

The Bosporus connects the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea, separating Istanbul into what are often referred to as its European side and Asian side. Today, the fortress isn't used to fire upon ships but serves as a museum and concert venue.