Exploring Galata tower Istanbul and it’s history

Galata Tower
Galata Tower is one of the symbols of Istanbul and it is situated in Galata, on a hill seeing the historical peninsula of Istanbul from A-Z. The origin of the Galata Tower goes back to the fifth century CE when Byzantines built a wooden tower named Magalos Pyrgos (Great Tower) in order to control the city of Constantinople and the Golden Horn. Due to the fires, earthquakes, and the Sack of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusaders in 1204 the wooden tower was completely destroyed.

In 1348, the Genoese community living in the district of Pera (Galata) built today’s Galata Tower and named it Christea Turris (Tower of Christ). Galata Tower is a cylindrical tower made from stone and it is approximately 67 meters long.

Galata Tower was the tallest building in Istanbul until the construction of Beyazıt Tower in 1749. During the Ottoman period, Galata Tower functioned as a jail, observatory house, and watchtower. After the restorations took place in 1960, Galata Tower was commercialized and opened to the public. Today, the tower functions as a 360-degree viewing platform of Istanbul.