Galata Tower rises above the Golden Horn as a landmark that has changed jobs repeatedly. Built by Genoese settlers as part of their fortifications, it later became an Ottoman prison and fire lookout before its modern museum role.
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The tower’s commanding view can make it seem like it was always meant for sightseeing, but its first purpose was defensive. Genoese builders erected it in the mid-fourteenth century as part of the walls around their settlement at Galata.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- The Genoese built the tower in the mid-fourteenth century as part of their fortifications.
- It later served as a dungeon and fire lookout.
- A major restoration and museum conversion took place in 2020.
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