Galata Tower is one of the most famous sights of Istanbul (Turkey). From its height offers a magnificent view of this ancient and interesting city. If you are planning a trip to Istanbul, be sure to include a visit to Galata in your itinerary! You can read about the history of the building, as well as how to get here, in this article. You will also find out what impressions tourists have from visiting this attraction.
Galata tower: photo, description
Galata was erected in the XIV century. Its height is 61 meters. In addition, it is located on a hill, so the structure rises above sea level by as much as 140 meters! Thanks to this, the Galata Tower can be seen from almost every district of Istanbul.
History
Galata Tower boasts a centuries-old history. So, historians believe that in its place the tower was erected back in5th century AD. At that time, the Byzantine emperor Justinian was the ruler here. But then the structure was wooden, so it could not last long. The Galata Tower was erected on this site already from stone in 1348.
A century later, Byzantium was captured by the Turks. Accordingly, Galata passed into their possession. At different times, the tower performed a variety of functions: a lighthouse for merchant ships, a fire tower, an observatory, and even a prison.
During its long history, the building has been restored more than once. The last large-scale work was carried out in 1967. Then the dome of the tower was rebuilt, elevators were erected. Also on one of the upper floors equipped with a restaurant. The diameter of the cone-shaped roof is almost 9 meters, and the width of the walls is 3.75 meters.
By the way, Galata is also known as Hesarfena. The world-famous flight of Turkish Icarus is also associated with it. So, in the middle of the 17th century, a scientist named Hezarfen Ahmet Chelyabi was able to fly from the roof of the structure to the Asian coast of the Bosphorus Strait on a glider that he designed with his own hands.
Observation deck
Today this building is popular due to the restaurant and nightclub located in it, as well as, of course, the observation deck. In addition, on the top floor of the tower, for an additional fee (about 5 euros), you can take a picture in a national Turkish costume. As for the restaurant, the prices here are not at all low. However, the view from the windows is definitely worth it.in order to afford to drink here at least a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. By the way, experienced tourists recommend visiting this place in the late afternoon. At this time, there are not many visitors here. Also on the first floor of Galata there is a souvenir shop. Here you can buy a variety of keepsakes.
As for the observation deck, the view from the Galata Tower is truly amazing. So, the whole of Istanbul will stretch before you at a glance. In addition, the Golden Horn Bay and the Sea of Marmara are clearly visible from here.
Galata Tower: how to get there
This attraction is located in the European part of the city in an area called Galata. As already mentioned, the tower is located on a hill. It can be seen from almost every district of Istanbul, so you can't go wrong in the direction. There are several ways to get to the Galata Tower:
- You can take the tram to the Karakoy stop and then walk up the stairs towards Istiklal Street.
- If you are walking along Istiklal Street, then, having reached its end, you can turn right. You will be taken to the square where the Galata Tower is located.
- When you get to the Karakoy stop, you can use the Tunel metro station, and then take a short walk in the direction of the Golden Horn Bay.
This attraction is open for visiting every day from nine in the morning until half past eight in the evening. In winter, the tower closes earlier. However, the restaurant is open until midnight. The cost of visiting the lookoutthe site of Galata is about 13 lira.
Traveler reviews of visiting attractions
If you belong to the category of tourists who are interested in finding out the impressions of other people who have visited a particular place, then we suggest that you read the generalized comments of our compatriots who included the Galata Tower in the route during their trip to Istanbul.
In general, most travelers were very pleased with the fact that they managed to visit Galata. According to them, the guidebooks do not deceive, and the observation deck really offers a stunning view of the whole of Istanbul. However, it is better to come here in clear weather, then the panorama will be especially magnificent. Also, tourists pay attention that the path to the Galata Tower may not be very easy. Because you have to climb the hill. In the heat, this can be quite difficult. In addition, you should be prepared for some waiting, since the observation deck itself is small, and there are a lot of people who want to visit it. However, according to most of our compatriots, the Galata Tower is worth a visit.
