Galata Tower In Istanbul - A Travel Guide

Once a colony of Republic of Genoa, Galata was a neighbourhood across the medieval city of Constantinople, and was reachable by the Galata bridge over the Golden Horn. The imposing Galata Tower has been an important landmark of the city of Istanbul for centuries and continues to impress all visitors of present day Istanbul.

Galata Tower, Istanbul

Galata Tower from a distance 

The tower is built in the Romanesque style in the year 1348 and was then the tallest structure of the city. The tower was primarily used for spotting fires, but it was often itself damaged by fires which also altered the form of the tower. In 1875 the top part of the tower was destroyed in a storm and the tower was without it's famous conical head for almost a century. Much later it was added one again during restoration work in the previous century.

My visit to Galata Tower

When I visited Istanbul over an extended stopover, Galata Tower was second item on my check-list (yes back then I used to make at least some mental list of places to see) after Hagia Sofia. As a traveler on foot and low on budget, I skipped taking a tram or bus and walked from Hagia Sofia to the Galata Tower. Despite the almost pleasant European weather, I was soon sweating due to the sun and tired under the weight of my heavy backpack.

The tower has an imposing height of 66.9m

Another tower on my way up :)

But the walk was pretty amazing...I crossed some more stunning mosques, busy market places (somehow fake branded shoes were around everywhere), kids playing with the pigeons, and some chic restaurants on the bridge. I was tempted to stop by and eat, but decided to instead use the money for later, which ended up being a good decision.

Now Galata Tower is often visible from a distance across the city, but the way to the tower is not exactly straightforward. I had to ask the locals often for directions, and it wasn't too difficult to locate. The walk was a bit steep, but I lugged on. When I was almost there, another worry took over - the imposing tower of 219½ feet (66.9 m) didn't look like an easy climb at all! Of course luck was on my side and there was an elevator which took me all the way up, well almost. It was one of those days when there was almost no line outside the tower, which I learnt later was quite a rarity. There were a few of us on top, but it wasn't crowded.

And the view from top?

Well, as they say a picture is worth a million words, so here are about 3 million words below :)

From L to R: Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque

Topkapi palace

Istanbul from top - loved the views!

Practical information about Galata Tower

Galata Tower restaurant
There is also a restaurant within the tower itself, and both the food and the views are excellent there! Dinner is recommended as there is also a performance about Turkish art and culture. Read more.

Entry prices:
Adults: ₺25
Children under 12: ₺5

Visiting Hours:
Summer / Winter Between 09:00 - 20:30 Hours (viewing balcony is open till 7pm)
Closed Days: Open Every Day (Open Days & Hours may change by Official & Public Holidays)

To reach:
I suggest walking to the tower as the roads are pretty narrow and parking is tough. Though you can take a tram, funicular or metro. Read more on this discussion onTripAdvisor.

Address:
Galata Kulesi (Tower)
Büyük Hendek Caddesi, Galata
Phone: +90 212 293 81 80
Fax: +90 212 245 21 33

Here is a map for reference.

Castell - The Human Towers Of Catalonia, Spain!

Castells are human towers from Catalonia which have traditionally been built during festivals and celebrations for over 300 years now. It's a unique activity to the region, and the tradition is kept alive by youngsters, children as well as elderlies who all participate in building these towers! It's an art, a tradition and way of life to people here.

Castell - the human tower of Catalonia!

When I was in Catalonia I got to witness the building if these tower, and the first thing that struck me was the similarity with the human towers of cities across Maharashtra, India built during dahi handi festivals. Both are high energy activities where traditionally only men participated, but with changing times now women also participate. However, it's history as interesting as is the activity!

History of Castells

Early in the 18th Century in Iberian Peninsula in Spain, the first celebrations of the Virgin of Health took place. As part of these celebrations a very interesting tradition also started called Muixeranga, which had it's origins in the Arabic word mochain, which means mask. Muixeranga collectively includes ancient street dances and human castles (towers) and had a strong religious background.

At a similar time another similar tradition started in another part of Catalonia, Valls. However, unlike Muixeranga the focus here is on building the biggest possible human towers. There is another very important aspect to the castells - they are considered a success only if they can be built and dismantled in quick succession. In fact the complete tower is in position only a for a few seconds when the last person, enxaneta, climbs to the top and raises one hand, with four fingers intact which symbolises the stripes of the Catalan flag.

In 2010 castells were declared by UNESCO to be amongst the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

My visit to Casa Batlló

I got to witness a castell formation in Barcelona and it was a complete surprise for me. I must also confess that before this evening I had no clue what a castell was, and had more interest in my dinner at Casa Batlló than this activity.

Casa Batlló at night 

Inside Casa Batlló

It was completely dark and Casa Batlló was beautifully lit in soft lights and the entire building was sealed off bounds to tourists because of our visit. Sometimes it can be such privilege to be a part of a press group. A visit to this Gaudi classic was a dream come true for me, and I simply happy to be here. I walked up and down and clicked a few images, but it was quite a surprise when I saw a bunch of young men rushing in and out of a changing room.

This was my cue to capture a background story, though I still wasn't sure what a castell actually is. I met and spoke to many guys there and they were happy to see my curiosity and told me lots about the towers while they quickly stoppered off, got into their uniforms and helped others to get ready as well. Luckily for me they all spoke decent English which can sometimes be a challenge in Spain.

A Casteller in deep thought 

Casteller of all age group participate :)

The dress of a casteller, as these young men and women are called, consists of white trousers, a black sash, a head-band and a coloured shirt often bearing the team's emblem. The sash is the most complicated part and often requires help form others to wear.

I interviewed Marc Codera who comes from a small town in Catalonia and was introduced to this activity by his mother when he was young. As he grew up, his interest in it grew more and more and now he is an active participant of the group which meets regularly and makes these towers, both in Spain and abroad. Marc is a full-time corporate job, but he always finds time to practice with his castell friends :)

Marc Codera

In the last few years the practice has seen much transformation and now even women participate in large numbers. In fact, they do the exact same thing as guys do and do it as well. What also surprised me was the presence of kids as young as 8 years old and men as old as 80 getting ready for the performance!

Young girls ready to build the tower!

Within in a few minutes, there was a big bang and they quickly want out to the open terrace and I followed them in the group, the only outsider in a bunch of Catalans. But no-one seemed to mind :)

Over the next hour or so, the bunch made several towers of different styles, each mightier than the other. Usually the towers are built in two steps - first the base of the tower is built, and once it is stabilised the upper stories are quickly made so as to put minimal stress on the members who build the foundation. For the few seconds that the tower is in it's completeness, it's a matter of pride and honour for all castellers, and matter of amazement of viewers!

The first step - make the foundation strong 

Step two - build the high storeys!

Dinner at Casa Batlló

I met my new friends after the performance and wished them luck with even more ambitious Castells in future, and then it was time for dinner. I then ate one of the fanciest dinners of my life inside a building which is a living museum, and revelled at how perfect this evening turned out to be.

Here is how perfectly laid out our dinner was. Ah!

Dinner at Casa Batlló

Meissen Cathedral (Hochstift Dom) - The Church On The Castle Hill

Located next to the majestic Albrechtsburg castle, the Meissen Cathedral (Hochstift Dom)is a Gothic church who stands high with pride at the highest point of the city. The cathedral was established in the year 968 and has been in use ever since. During the protestant reformation in the 15th Century, the Meissen diocese was dissolved and it turned into a protestant church.

Mother Mary

Made in the classic Gothic style of architecture, the building hasn't changed much over the last many hundreds of years, except a few additions. This style of architecture evolved from the Romanesque architecture in the late medieval period, and this church is one of the very well preserved monuments which showcases it. All the quintessential elements of Gothic architecture are seen here, like pointed arch, the ribbed vault and the flying buttress.

Here is a photo-story on the Meissen Cathedral.

Meissen Cathedral from outside 

The main entrance

The tombs - many Saxon kings are buried here

The simple altar

Ceiling of the church

The Lost And Forgotten Shiva Temple At Ladhoo, Kashmir

Located far away from Srinagar in a small village called Ladhoo, the presence of the ancient Jeevnath Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is barely known anymore, even to many Kashmiris. However, when I was traveling through the villages in Kashmir valley on a project to discover old and lost temples of the region, I asked people around specifically for leads to old temple which didn't exist on guidebooks at all.

Here is the story of how I discovered the Shiva Temple of Ladhoo.

Shiva temple at Ladhoo, Kashmir

Idols immersed in the pond...

I started early in the morning from Srinagar with almost no plans but lots of hopes. I visited the relatively well-known Avantipore temples first, but then had a long day ahead and no more temples. I decided to ask the ASI guy at the temple for some suggestions of unknown temples, and he suggested the Shiva temple at Ladhoo. The only glitch - it as a bit far and I only had public transportation to commute. Tourists were still uncommon in Kashmir, and no-one certainly visited the villages. Of course, I didn't care about these things and after changing three different vehicles I finally reached Ladhoo village.

The local village market

There was nothing really special about the village, it was quite beautiful just like all the villages of Kashmir. But my entry to the village generated quite a lot of excitement and many people came out of their shops to see who this visitor with long hair was. I must confess that all this made me quite uncomfortable, but I had no other option but to befriend them. One of them invited me to his shop for some Kashmiri chai, and I agreed though I kept thinking that the tea could be spiked. Everyone had questions, and were quite surprised that I was a Hindu in search of old temples in the valley.

One young man and a boy volunteered to take me to the temple and tell me all about it. I bid the my curious new friends goodbye and walked further ahead. Within minutes we were at the temple and surprisingly there was very little that survived. But there was so much pride when they showed me the temple, and I could see why.

Details at the temple

Some more idols

The temple is really special because of the message of communal harmony it showcases. There are no Hindus at all in the village, yet the temple is still maintained by the caretakers of a mosque located right next to it. All that survives now is a small pond with few walls around and a Shiva idol somewhere inside. Apparently the idol becomes visible when the weather is dry, but this was time of rains and I could only imagine what it would look like.

Mosque next to the temple...

The caretaker also told me an interesting story...

'The temple was built during the time of King Avantivarman. There was a famous Hindu sage who did tapasya here and the village used to be completely Hindu back then. When Shah Hamadan came to the valley and he brought the message of Islam with him. The sage was also very inspired by Shah Hamadan and embraced Islam. After him the entire region also took up Islam.'

It was around 5.30 when I decided to leave. It was also azaan time and I could hear a beautiful voice asking the faithfuls to bow before allah. It was getting close to sunset and I still had a long way to go. It was quite tough to find a direct vehicle for Srinagar, so I decided to take lift from a local boy who hen dropped me at a crossroad a few kilometres outside the village. It was kind of dark and there was neither bus or anyone else with me there. I certainly did feel uncomfortable.

Here is a video I recorded as I walked back through the village after the visit...


In about 20 minutes a bunch of army men walked towards me and rather roughly asked me for my ID. This was not unusual and had happened to me many times earlier as well. Once they saw my ID and realised that I was an outsiders, I got the worst possible scolding of my life. The head shouted at me at the top of his voice and admonished me for being so reckless to be alone in a Kashmiri village after sunset. They were furious and I could understand their point as well, but frankly I had never felt intimidated during the entire day.

Walking back from the village...

Just then a mini-bus came and I got on that. They gave me a stern warning to be never seen in the area again. I was tired, yet strangely satisfied with all the adventures in the day. As the bus drove towards the highway, I looked out of the window and tried to ignore the loud local music. I knew more adventures will be coming my way soon...