Location- It is located at Bereketzade, Galata Kulesi, 34421 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Turkey.
Distance from Airport-
It is located at a distance of around 43 kilometres from the Istanbul airport and it takes approximately 50 mins-1 hour to reach.
Height of Galata Tower-
The tower has nine stories and is 66.90 m or 219 ft high and was the city’s tallest structure when it was built.
History of Galata Tower
The Galata Tower is a marvelous potpourri of east Roman, Genoese and Ottoman characteristics. The influence of all these empires can be easily seen in it’s architecture. As to who built Galata Tower, there are two theories.
The first one states that Byzantium Empire’s Anastasios was the first person to build the tower as a lighthouse in 528 A.D. The second story states that it was built in 1348 when the Genoese arrived and Galata city walls were built to protect the city from invaders.
The Galata Tower was built to provide surveillance from the inside of the walls. It was originally assumed that The Galata Tower was built as a lighthouse to keep the Genoese from seizing the place. Alternatively it is believed that it took the position of an important tool for defense in the 14th century and had a very important military importance.
The defense function of the towers was then converted to being a fire detection tower during the Ottoman Empire and then it was converted into a dungeon for dockyard prisoners during the rule of Sultan Suleiman ‘The Magnificent’.
There are several reasons why this tower has a cultural and historic significance. The first being Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi succeeded to fly from Galata Tower to Uskudar Dogancan using his wooden wings in 1638. More recently, famous Turkish poet Umit Yaşar Oğuzcan’s son commited suicide from this place which made this place even more popular.
What the tower has today is a museum and a restaurant cum café. It’s conic top also has a restaurant with a terrace from where one can have a panoramic view of the Bosphorus, the golden horn and the real Istanbul.
Facts about Galata Tower
There are some interesting facts about Galata Tower that will make your visit to this place even more interesting and significant.
- It has been put to multiple uses- As we already know by now the tower was primarily used for defense purposes. In 1714, it started to be used as a fire detection tower due to its height and perfect location. Fires were lit on the top of the tower to send signals at great distances. When the Ottomans captured Istanbul they converted it into a prison and later to a dormitory for the military.
- The most famous story related to the tower is of Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi. Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi succeeded in flying from Galata Tower to Uskudar Dogancan using his wooden wings(Yes,wooden wings) in 1638 after several failed attempts to do so. After which the locals fondly called this tower ‘The Hezarfen Tower’ For quite some time.
- The tower was also used for a strange sport ‘Rope climbing’. In this sport people used to tie ropes to the support of the top of the towers and then slid down these ropes. Later they would climb back to the top of the tower. There were even competitions held in this sport.
- The tower was also used for ceremonies by the Mevlevi Order.
- Apart from these events, a sorrowful incident occurred in 1973, when famous Turkish poet Umit Yaşar Oğuzcan’s 15-year-old son Vedat committed suicide, there. The famous poet wrote one of his elegies for the memoir of his son.
- Lastly, the tower underwent its last restoration in 1990 ,it was opened for the public soon after.
Tips to Visit Galata Tower
- The easiest way to move up is by elevator, so use it and don’t let it go. The lift in the tower goes only upto 7th floor, after that you have to climb up two more flights of winding stairs, i.e to the 9th floor, going through the restaurant.
- The elevator only accommodates 6 people, and you will see a que to reach the top. However, if you are eager to relish the view from top, climb up the stairs to reach first.
- The entry fee for the tower is 35 Lira or 532 INR and children below 7 years of age have free entry. Please note that Istanbul Museum pass is not valid for the entrance
