The Galata Tower ( İstanbul- Türkiye )

Also known as the Galata Kulesi Museum, an iconic symbol situated in the Galata quarter of Istanbul, Türkiye.
Considered among the oldest towers in the world and one of the symbols of Istanbul, Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi) was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Temporary List in 2013. Galata Tower, one of the most important structures that make up the silhouette of Istanbul, was used as a long-term fire watchtower and was named Galata Fire Tower.

Galata Tower was first built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinianos in 507-508 AD. The ancient Tower of Galata "Megalos Pyrgos", which means Great Tower stood on the north side of the Golden Horn in Istanbul, located in the citadel of Galata. The tower then marked the northern end of the great chain, which was expanded across the mouth of the Golden Horn to prevent enemy ships from entering the harbor. The tower contained a mechanism for raising and lowering the chain. This tower should not be confused with the present time Galata Tower, which is still standing and located at the northernmost and highest point of the citadel of Galata.

The Genoese rebuilt the current tower in 1348-49. When the Genoans captured Galata in the 1300s, they saw that most of the walls and the first tower were destroyed by the Byzantines. Ultimately, they repaired all the walls and bastions. They also rebuilt the Galata Tower, located at the top of the walls, and laid the foundations of today's tower. The tower, called "Christea Turris" (Tower of Christ) after a cross on its cone, gradually became the symbol of this small Latin society.

Inscription
Marble inscription at the entrance of
Galata Tower Museum
After the conquest of Istanbul, the Galata Tower was left to the Ottomans by giving the key to Fatih Sultan Mehmet on the morning of 29 May 1453. The marble inscription at the entrance indicates this: "On the morning of Tuesday, May 29, 1453, the Genoese presented the keys of the Galata colony to Fatih Sultan Mehmed and the hand over of Galata was completed on Friday, June 1.". The tower was raised between 1445 and 46 years. It was damaged by an earthquake in the 1500's and was repaired by Architect Murad bin Hayreddin. III. After the tower is repaired during the Selim period, a bay window is added to the upper floor of the tower. In 1831, the tower suffered another fire, II. Mahmut rises two more floors above the tower and the top of the tower is covered with the famous cone-shaped roof cover. The building was last repaired in 1967.
Galata Tower was built in the masonry rubble stone system. The exterior is stone mesh. The 16-line poetic inscription located above the entrance narrates that the tower was destroyed in the fire and had it repaired by Sultan Mahmud II.