Figures on the quay before the Maiden's Tower, Istanbul

This structure, known as the Maiden's Tower, was also known in Byzantine times as the Tower of Leandros (Leander's Tower). These names refer to different romantic legends about the origin of the building, located on a small islet at the southern entrance of Bosphorus strait 200 metres off the coast of Üsküdar in Istanbul. The present building dates from the 18th century, and has served as a place of quarantine, a customs post and a lighthouse. Although small, it is so distinctive that it is immediately recognisable in any image of this part of the Bosphorus, featuring prominently in the view towards the mouth of the Golden Horn in the distance. In depicting a group of men and women with their merchandise awaiting a ferry, Preziosi observes an aspect of everyday city life.