The ancient city of Istanbul includes many important monuments that annually attract millions of people to visit Turkey and enjoy its stunning views. The Galata Tower is one of these landmarks and is visited by thousands of local visitors and tourists every day. It was opened as a tourist attraction in the year 1967 to spend the most wonderful moments and see the wonderful views.

What is Galata Tower?

It is a building whose height ranges between 62 and 70 meters, approximately cylindrical in shape with a conical roof. Its outer diameter is 16.45 meters and its inner diameter is about 9 metres. It overlooks many important areas in Istanbul, such as Eminonu, Uskudar, Taksim Square, the Golden Horn Bay, and the neighborhoods of the Fatih area.
Galata Tower is located in the famous Taksim area of ​​the Beyoglu municipality on the European side of Istanbul, about a 10-minute walk from Taksim Square.

Interior details

The interior of the Galata Tower consists of 9 floors. The escalator is used to ascend to the seventh floor, and then the visitor continues climbing to the last floor by walking up.
On the eighth floor, there is a photography studio that provides traditional Ottoman clothing to give the visitor an exciting experience in taking souvenir photos. The ninth floor includes a restaurant and a café, from whose balconies the visitor can enjoy wonderful views such as the Bosphorus Strait, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, and the Hagia Sophia Museum.

Age of the tower

The Galata Tower is more than 1,500 years old from its construction until now. It has gone through many events that called for its restoration after being exposed to fire twice and an earthquake once.

History of the tower

Legends and stories differ about the main reason for its construction. One historical account says that its construction was during the sixth century AD, and it was used for various purposes by the city’s Roman, Genoese, Venetian, and Ottoman rulers, and it was previously called “Issa Castle.”
It is also said that it was built in 528 AD by order of the Byzantine Sultan Justinian in the Middle Ages and was restored in 1509 AD following an earthquake that struck Istanbul at that time by one of the students of the famous architect Sinan.

Stories also say that the tower was used as a prison for prisoners of war during the reign of Sultan Qasim Pasha, and then it became a warehouse for ships and then a watchtower. During the reign of Sultan Murad Pasha, it witnessed a successful flight attempt by the Turkish scientist Ahmed Çalabi from the top of the Galata Tower to the Uskudar area using wings he made. Himself, and mentions that the tower was anciently made of wood and was rebuilt and restored over time to be in its current form.

The Galata Tower is considered one of the most important tourist attractions in Istanbul, which attracts a large number of visitors, whether residents or tourists. Directly in front of the tower there are points for obtaining entry tickets, and there is a special crew charged with supervising the tower and organizing the entry of tourists and visitors, whose number may reach thousands every day. The length of time to stay inside the tower is not specified.
Finally, the tower opens its doors from 8:30 am until 10:00 pm, and it can be easily reached from Taksim Square.