Galata Tower

The Best View Around at Galata Tower

Istanbul is a beautiful city. You will see sights to make your jaw drop at every turn, but one of the best places to appreciate it’s true magnificence, is from way up high..

Combining one of the best photography spots in the entire city, with some of the most ancient history around, is Galata Tower. If you ask any local about how to get around Istanbul, they will always use Galata Tower as a reference point, e.g. ‘keep the tower on your left’, or ‘if you get lost, just look for the tower’. Galata Tower is entrenched in the modern day, just as much as it is in history!

Galata Tower’s Rich History

The history of Galata Tower pre-dates most of the other buildings in the entire city. The tower was built in the 5th century CE, back when the Byzantines were in charge of the city, and it was much, much smaller than what we see today. The original tower was made of wood, and was called the Great Tower, or Magalos Pyrgos.

The tower was built to control the city, and act as a lookout over the region, in case of invaders or trouble. Of course, Istanbul at the time suffered countless earthquakes and fires, and a tower made of wood was not built to withstand such natural disasters. Rather predictably, the original tower was destroyed completely in 1204, when the Fourth Crusaders arrived.

The Galata Tower that you see today was but in 1348 by the Genoese who were living in the region. The Galata neighbourhood you see these days was called ‘Pera’ at that time, and the Galata Tower was referred to as Tower of Christ, or Christ Turris. Up until Beyazit Tower was built in 1749, Galata Tower was the tallest building in Istanbul, made of stone, in a completely cylinder shape.

As the Ottomans arrived and conquered Constantinople, Galata Tower was used as a watch tower, given its strategic point, overlooking the entire Golden Horn, as well as an observatory house, and even a jail at one point.

Visiting The Galata Tower

Today Galata Tower is one of the most visited and famous spots in the city, and rightly so. The tower underwent a restoration period during the 1960s, and was then opened to the public for visiting. Sitting right in the heart of the Galata neighbourhood, visitors flock to this spot for pictures of its exterior, before being tempted inside for one of the best views of the entire city.

There is often a very large queue to go inside, and there are only two elevators which take visitors up to the top viewing platform, so you will need to be patient! Once you are at the top, you will find a cafe where you can sit and enjoy a tea or coffee, and a slice of cake, checking out the stunning view, just outside. Those who head out onto the balcony (a must do), will see the 360 degree panorama right before them. This is one of the most breathtaking views of the entire city, and a total must do for anyone visiting for the first time.

The only downside is that the balcony is quite narrow, and you can only stand two people side by side at any point all around. This means that getting around the tower can be quite a slow affair – again, you will need to be patient! You should also be aware that even in summer, it’s quite windy up at the top, and can be quite chilly! During winter, you will definitely need to wrap up warm if you’re planning on heading to the balcony at the top of the tower.

Galata Tower is open every day, from 9am until 11pm, and if you want to try and avoid the queues (to some degree), it’s best to get there as early as possible, or head there at night for the later views. Queues don’t tend to subside much at any point during the day, however if you can avoid weekends and public holidays, you will find that the line is a little less than otherwise.

The admission fee to go inside and up to the top viewing platform is 25TL per person. Obviously, you will pay extra at the cafe for any refreshments you order.

Getting to Galata Tower

It’s very easy to get to the Galata Tower, and if you get lost, just look for the tower! If you’re in Taksim, simply walk down to the bottom of Istiklal Street and continue down the cobbled hill, near to Galatasaray High School. You can’t miss it, it’s steep and it’s very busy! About halfway down, you will find the tower emerging from the ground!

If you are anywhere else in the city, you can easily get a bus or Metro to Taksim and follow the above instructions, or if you want to save your legs, you can get off the Metro at Sishane Metro Station, and walk just five minutes up the hill to Galata Tower.

Once you’re taken as many photographs as your camera will allow, there are countless things to do around the Galata Tower area. Taksim’s lively feel is just a few minutes’ away, and there are shopping and entertainment options aplenty! Taksim is also home to a surprising number of cultural options too, such a museums and galleries. The Museum of Innocence is in Taksim, and is a fantastic hidden gem, or you could head to Pera Museum, which is a definite for arts fans. Alternatively, continue down the hill towards the Galata Bridge and cross over to the Golden Horn, where you can check out Eminonu, or up the hill towards Sultanahmet, and it’s countless historic sites, such as Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.

Put simply, a visit to Istanbul is not complete without a series of photographs taken from way up high, courtesy of the historic and rather beautiful Galata Tower itself..