Galata Tower

Although the exact construction date of the Galata Tower, one of the oldest towers in the world, is unknown, two dates and the names of two emperors are recorded in history books. It has been suggested that it was built as a lighthouse by Emperor Justinian in 507 or by Anastasius in 528.

The Galata Tower, which the Byzantines called the Great Tower, was destroyed during the Fourth Crusade in 1204 and rebuilt in 1348 using rubble stones. In the years of its reconstruction, it was also known as the Tower of Jesus, and its new architects were Genoese. After falling into Ottoman hands, the tower suffered significant damage in the 1509 earthquake and was repaired by the famous architect of the time, Hayrettin.

In the 16th century, during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, the tower was used as a prison for Christian captives working in the Kasımpaşa shipyards. It lost this notoriety during the reign of Sultan Murad III. With the Sultan's permission, an observatory was established there by the astrologer Takiyüddin. Although the observatory was closed in 1579, Galata had already become involved with science.

Before long, in the first half of the 17th century, during the reign of Murad IV, Hezarfen Ahmet Çelebi, having completed his training in Okmeydanı, had already set his sights on this location.

When Hezarfen, in 1638, attached wooden eagle wings to his back and jumped from Galata, everyone's heart was in their mouth. Hezarfen's graceful glide to Üsküdar Doğancılar would make even birds envious; this flight attracted attention in Europe, and engravings depicting it were made in England.

For a time in the 17th century, the tower housed a military band, but from 1717 onwards, due to successive fires in Istanbul, it was used as a fire observation tower. While the sound of drums echoed through the tower to alert the people and warn them of fires, Galata also suffered from one of those fires, and in 1797, during the reign of Selim III, a large part of the tower burned down.

In 1831, Galata was damaged in another fire that ravaged the city, but its misfortunes did not end there. In 1875, its spire was toppled by a storm. After these disasters, the tower acquired its present appearance through restorations that began in 1965 and lasted two years.

• Hagia Sophia
• Grand Bazaar Istanbul
• Galata Tower