Galata Tower

Constructed in 1348 by the Genoese, it was initially called the Jesus Tower and was designed to enhance the security of the Galata neighborhood and the surrounding area. When the Ottomans captured the city about a century after the construction of the Galata Tower they converted it first into a prison and later into a fire observation tower as its 60 m height lent itself ideally to this use.



The reform-minded Ottoman Sultan Mahmut II rebuilt the Tower that had been damaged by subsequent earthquakes and endemic fires. According to the existing plan the Galata Tower was restored once again in the 1960s. With its history and the breathtaking Istanbul view, the Galata Tower offers a unique insight into Istanbul.

Capital city of Empires