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Galata Tower review Rate it
Originally named the Tower of Christ, this watchtower was built in 1348 at the apex of fortified walls. After the Ottoman conquest, it was used to house prisoners of war and later became an observatory; during the 19th century, it was a look-out post to watch for the fires that frequently broke out in the city's largely wooden buildings. In the 1960s, the tower was restored and a horribly cheesy restaurant and nightclub were added. They have barely changed since, and both are very much missable, but it's worth paying the rather hefty entrance fee to ascend to the 360-degree viewing gallery, with commanding views of the entire sprawling metropolis.
Galata Tower details
Open 9am-8pm daily
Admission YTL10
Comments & ratings
Its a tower that lets you see to a large degree the whole of Istanbul. It is located on a hill so be prepared to hike a little unless you take a taxi there. Other than that, an elevator will take you to the top. There is a restaurant but the prices are outrageous. the actual place where you stand at the top of the tower is very narrow and can fit maybe two people in width so wear comfortable clothes and sunglasses as there's no shade from the sun during the day on the one half of the tower. I went during the day and I'm glad I went because I got to see just how big Istanbul really is, but the price I thought was a bit too high.
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