Galata Tower

Its viewing balcony offers panoramic views of bustling Istanbul; the museum is home to artifacts that exhibit the history of the city from prehistoric times to now. Built in 1348 as a reconstruction of Emperor Justinian’s original tower in Galata, the now-iconic tourist destination is evidence of centuries of enthralling history, and is itself an artifact from a different time.   

Continue reading to learn more about Galata Tower and how you can visit. 

History of Galata Tower 

A Genoese colony residing in what was then called Galata, a region of Constantinople, were responsible for the commissioning and construction of Galata Tower. Their colony was buffeted by walls; the Romanesque Galata Tower was the highest point of the walls, standing 66.9 meters tall.  

The Genoese named it ‘Christea Turris,’ meaning Tower of Christ, and they included a cross on the tip of its cone; it was a symbol of their Christian world in a largely Islamic city.  

In 1453, after Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Empire, the walls of Galata were torn down, but the tower was turned into a prison. The handover to the Ottomans is marked by a marble inscription near the entrance, recording the date the tower was given to Sultan Mehmet. In later centuries, the Galata Tower was used as a lookout for fires. In 1965, it was restored and opened to the public; in 2020, it was turned into a museum.  

Fascinatingly, 17th-century inventor Hezarfen Ahmed Çelebi, who built his own wings and supposedly flew across the city, reportedly took off from Galata Tower. Though this story of unpowered flight is dubious, it is a mystery intertwined in the lore of Galata Tower. Another mystery of the tower is its underground tunnel, which was excavated in 1965. Some think it was a secret escape route for the Genoese that once led out onto the seaside. Additionally, when it was excavated, they also found numerous skeletal remains, thought to belong to prisoners who tried to escape.  

Inside Galata Tower 

Before you enter Galata Tower, you will be greeted by a poetic inscription over the entrance archway, telling the story of the 1794 fire that destroyed part of the tower’s interior. Inside, there are nine floors with a high-ceilinged ground floor; each window features a cylindrical arch. On the top floor is an observation deck with 360-degree views of the city, shaded by the cone roof. Lower floors’ windows were used by soldiers to look for fires and other dangers. 

The Galata Tower Museum reopened in 2020 on the anniversary of the Liberation of Istanbul. Nowadays, its time as a watchtower and a prison are behind it, and it is instead a record of more than a millennium of Istanbul’s history, which includes the rise and fall of the Romans, the Byzantines, and the Ottomans.  

How to Visit  

In the summer season (April 1 to October 31), Galata Tower is open from 8:30am to 11:00pm, and in the winter season (November 1 to March 31), it is open from 8:30am to 10:00pm. Its nighttime views of Istanbul are especially spectacular. 

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