Galata Tower is one of the eye catching land mark of Istanbul for sure. This nine-story tower is 66.90 meters tall and was the tallest building when it was built in 1348 during an expansion of the Genoese colony in Constantinople. The tower is used to called the Christea Turris (Tower of Christ) by the Genoese and the Megalos Pyrgos (The Great Tower) by the Byzantines.
Actually it wasn’t the first tower in Constantinople as it was built to replace the Old Tower of Galata (Megalos Pyrgos / Great Tower) which controlled the northern end of the huge sea chain that closed the entrance to the Golden Horn Bay (Haliç). Galata tower had several restorations due Earthquake in 1509, fire in 1794 and 1831, big storm in 1875. It’s mostly functioned as observatory and prison during the time of Byzantine and Ottoman Periods.
From the book records (Seyahatname) of famous Ottoman Historian and Traveller Evliya Celebi, Galata Tower used by Hezarfen Ahmet Çelebi who flew as an early aviator using artificial wings from this tower across the Bosphorus to the slopes of Üsküdar (Around six kilometres distance) on the Anatolian side in 1638, during the reign of Murad V.
At present day, Galata Tower is one of the popular tourist attraction with restaurant and café on its upper floors which command a Panoramic view of Istanbul and the Bosphorus.There are two operating elevators that carry visitors from the lower level to the 7th floor, and the last two floors of the tower must be climbed by stairs.
