TURKEY ISTANBUL -GALATA

THE COMMERCIAL HARBOUR OF BOTH THE BYZANTINES AND THE OTTOMANS: GALATA AND ITS ENVIRONS

FROM KARAKOY TO BEYOGLU

Over the years, earthquakes and fires devastated parts of Istanbul, yet each time the city was born again out of its ashes as if it were the mythical Phonenix. Perhaps the most often devastated and rejuvenated parts of Istanbul are Galata and Beyoglu.

Galata, or Karakoy as it is called today, is in the shape of a peninsula surrounded by the Istanbul Strait and the Golden Horn which, throughout history, has been the commercial port of Istanbul. 

During the Byzantine and Ottoman periods it maintained its importance as the most important harbor of theregion and a centre of commercial activities. The districts are famous for its tower and the Genoese colony that settled there maintained commercial links with Europe during the Byzantine Period. Later, Iranians, Egyptians origin marketed their wares from the warehouses there, and distributed them to other parts of Istanbul.

As Galata maintained its commercial importance during the Ottoman Period, many warehouses were built in the district. The first embassies to the Ottoman Empire were settled in the same area and it was also an entertainment center with its several drinking dens. At the end of the 19^th century, the first banks of the Ottoman Empire were also clustered here and consequently Galata became the financial centre and heart of the stock exchange. Its importance continued until the first years of the 21^st century, though with the relocation of importance finance houses to Levent and Maslak districts, Galata finally lost its financial importance.

One of the most interesting aspects of Karakoy is that you can see the beauty of historical peninsula from a different perspective across the estuary. When you are at Sultahnahmet, the other shore may not seem to so interesting. However, once you are at the Karakoy, the vista of the historical peninsula is majestic. Especially during the sunset, the reddish sky contrasting with the darkening silhouette of Sultanahmet , Ayasofya and Topkapo Palace offers the visitors a new horizon where the Ottoman royal mosques, built on top of the hills of Istanbul with their characteristic domes and minarets , are at their best in this romantic of settings.

Nowadays 2 bridges, Galata Bridge and Ataturk Bridge, connect the historical peninsula and Galata. In the past, the Renaissance Master Leornardo Da Vinci prepared designs to build a bridge over the Golden Horn. The great artist wrote a letter to Sultan Bayezid II and mentioned his intentions about the bridge, but most probably was never given a chance to put his intentions into practice.

The Jewish community that settled in various areas of Istanbul and built places of worship there had a history exceeding half a millennium. The Zulfaris Synagogue, situated in Percemli Street across the Galata Bridge,has recently inaugurated the Quincentennial Foundation Museum of Turkish Jews here.The museum exhibits various documents , garments and artefacts commemorating the historical experiences of Jews settled in Turkey and specially in Istanbul. The Monument of Rising Fires erected in front of the museum commemorates in Turkish Jews who lost their lives in several wars including the Dardanelles Battle and the War of Liberation.

Another highly recommended visit is to the YERALTI ( underground ) Mosque which is situated at Kemankes Street.The Golden Horn was very important for the Byzantine since during attacks on the city it blocked entry to enemy vessels by means of heavy chains attached to the fortresses situated at Galata and Sarayburnu shores. 

As the sea walls along the Golden Horn were comparatively less strong, an attack from the Golden Horn could easily have led to the fall of Istanbul. The YERALTI CAMISI (underground Mosque) is situated in the dungeon where the chain used to be connected at the Galata end. Nowadays access to this building is by the staircase. It had been used as an arsenal until 1756, when a mosque was built at the site because of the belief that the graves inside were of religiously significant people.

Beyooglu’s relationship with Galata port has never ceased. However, as there is a steep incline to climb, first stairs were built and in 1876 a tunnel was constructed between Karakoy and Beyoglu to operate as a set of funicular trains. 

That tunnel is still operational as one of the shortest and oldest metro lines of the world. For those brave enough to climb from Galata to Beyoglu without using the metro the first assistance comes in the shape of the Kamondo Stairs. The Kamondo family was one of the richest families of 19^th century Istanbul and they were the benefactors of many public buildings including these famous stairs. As it was designed as a pair of staircases meeting at landings and curving apart for a while until the next landing, it is also known as the stairs of love.  

Another important feature of Karakoy is the traces of the Genoese community which as a very important place in the history of Istanbul. Naturally, the most important of them all is Galata Kulesi ( Galata Tower). The tower that can be seen from various parts of Istanbul has been a symbol of Galata. It is a legacy of the Genoese colony that maintained commercial links between the Byzantines and Ottomans with the European countries. 

It was originally built in 1348 as a tower of the walls surrounding Galata and used sometimes as a warehouse and sometimes as a prison by the Ottomans; It is still intact today. Galata used to be famous for its frequent fires, so for a while the tower was used as a fire lookout tower. If you pay a small fee you can climb to the observation platform where the Genoese used to look out for their approaching commercial ships as well as for enemies. From here, you have a commanding view over Istanbul from Prince Islands in the sea of Marmara , to the Istanbul Strait and Golden Horn.