Galata Tower, Istanbul: Visit This Iconic Landmark

Istanbul city view from Golden Horn — Source- Unsplash

Istanbul is one of the biggest cities in the world. And it is the biggest city in Turkey. Istanbul then capital of Ottoman Empire. This city is the only city in the world that is located in 2 continents. The eastern part of the country is in Asia and the western part is in the Europe. But majority of Turkey is in Asia. The Bosphorus strait in Turkey separates Europe and Asia. And also Istanbul is the home to many museum, mosque, church and European style buildings. If planning for a trip to Turkey then do visit Pickyourtrail to get the best deals.

Beyoğlu

The Beyoğlu is a district in the European side of the Istanbul city. It is separate from the old city because of the Golden Horn. The Golden Horn runs in between the old city and the Galata part of the district. Some of the best and must visit tourist attractions in Beyoğlu is Taksim square. In Taksim square there are shops, cafés, patisseries, restaurants, pubs, winehouses and clubs, as well as bookshops, theatres, cinemas and art galleries. Apart from the Galata tower and Galata bridge these places are also most visited by tourists.

Golden Horn

The Golden Horn is the major waterway to Bosphorus strait. And this separates the Beyoğlu from the old city. This separates the centre of Istanbul from the remaining parts of Istanbul. The Horn is 7.5km long and 750m wide. And also the maximum depth is 35m. The Golden Horn has lot of bridges connecting the districts in Istanbul. First, haliç bridge connecting Sütlüce and Defterdar. Second, Eski Galalta Bridge connecting Karaköy and Eminönü. Third, Atatürk Bridge connecting Kasımpaşa and Unkapanı. Fourth, Golden Horn metro bridge is a railway crossing connecting the metro across the Golden Horn. Fifth, Galata Bridge connecting Eminonu and karakoy. So these are bridges in Golden horn that connects the the centre part to the rest of the city.

Galata tower

The tower built in the 14th century is the biggest tower in Istanbul. Initially named as Tower of Christ. It is a 66.9m high tower is the high point in Galata. But now it is a museum. And the view from the top of the tower is really mesmerising. From the top the tourist get to see the Golden Horn, Seraglio point, Topkapi palace, Ayasofya, Blue Mosque, Galata Bridge and Sirkeci station. These are some of the most visited and must visit places in Istanbul. And from the top of the tower the tourist get to experience the whole city view including the top attractions.

Panorama Balcony in Galata Tower

The Panorama Balcony in Istanbul is located on top of the tower. This balcony encircles the highest row of windows. And it is narrow and open based on the weather conditions. Since the tower is very high people with fear of heights (Acrophobia) are recommended not to go to the top. So the best time to visit this tower is during sunrise and sunsets and also during prayer time. This tower is open from 9 am to 5pm. And during summer it is open from 9am to 7pm. Since it is open to tourist from 9am tourist can’t visit this place during sunrise. But from this location they get to see all the main and must visit attractions in Turkey. So if tourist doesn’t have enough time to visit all the places it is recommended to visit this place.

History of Galata Tower

This tower is a medieval Europe building. Initially called the tower of christ. And in the 14th century the Ottoman empire conquered this tower. Since then it is the biggest tower in the whole of Turkey. During the Ottoman Empire period the top of the tower is reconstructed. And since 1717 it is being a fire spotting tower but only until 1960’s. The conical top got damaged by a storm. Hence it underwent a renovation but for a long time the tower was there without the cone top. And now it is a museum and also a top tourist attraction with many tourist visiting this place. And during the final renovation the concrete walls replaced the wooden interiors.

Topkapi Palace

The Topkapi Palace is built during the 14th century. It was once the home for the Ottoman Empire Sultans since the 15th century. Since 20th century it is converted as a museum. And it is one of the must visit tourist attraction in Turkey. It has a lot of ancient items used by the Ottoman empire sultans at that time. And also lot of Turks related items are also kept on display for the tourist. Not only the museum but also the palace architecture and place is really good.

Galata Bridge

The bridge is functioning since the 6th century. It spans over the Golden Horn. This bridge connects the Golden Horn and the Galata district. This is one of the main bridges in the Golden Horn. And from the Galata tower the tourist can view the Eminonu, Galata bridge and other main attractions as well.

Other places to visit

Other than Galata tower tourists also visit the Golden Horn, Galata Bridge, do sunset cruises and other activities over the Golden horn. There are also many restaurants and cafe’s nearby. And also there are some art galleries and winehouses. So these are some of the other activities that can be done by the tourist.

When a tourist travel to Turkey, they spend most of their time in Istanbul. Because Istanbul is one of the few cities in the world where tourist get to do lot of activities. So even if the tourist spend more than 7 nights in Istanbul, everyday the tourist get to experience new things everyday. There are many unique places in Istanbul like the Golden horn, Galata tower, Topkapi palace, Ayasofya, Blue mosque. These are not the only tourist attractions but there are many other attractions as well like Grand Bazaar. and Eminonu square. So while visiting Turkey make sure to visit the above mentioned places. In order to get the satisfaction of visiting a new country. And do visit Pickyourtrail for best Istanbul Tour Packages.