Galata Tower
by Ross Henton
Title
Galata Tower
Artist
Ross Henton
Medium
Photograph - Photo
Description
Sunrise on the Galata Tower. Istanbul, Turkey. October 2012.
It is believed that Galata Tower (in Turkish Galata Kulesi) was first built in Byzantium time by the emperor Anastasius in AD 507, as a wooden lighthouse. The tower was named “Megalas Pyrgos (Great Tower)”. During the crusade in 1204, the tower was largely destroyed. However, when Genoese colony was expanded in Galata, the tower was rebuilt in 1348. This time, it was named “Christea Turris (Tower of Christ)”. It was the tallest building in Constantinople (66.9 meters) and the tower's shape closely matched that of today’s tower. After the Ottoman Empire took over Constantinople, Genoese handed over the key to Galata Tower to the Ottoman Empire. Quickly, Mehmet the Conqueror ordered the destruction of the cross shaped cone. During Bayezid II’s reign, the tower was nearly destroyed in an earthquake.
In the 16th century, during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, the tower was used as a dungeon. Later on, it was used as a fire observation tower. Legend says that Hezârfen Ahmed Çelebi flew with artificial wings from Galata Tower to Üsküdar; almost 3500 meters, crossing the Bosporus. It is said that he was the first man to fly, and was inspired by the studies of Leonardo da Vinci. This flight took place during the reign of Murad IV and recorded by Evliya Celebi. Evliya Celebi in his book Seyahatname (book of travel) mentioned the event:
"First he practiced by flying over the pulpit of Okmeydani eight or nine times with eagle wings, using the force of the wind. Then, as Sultan Murad Khan (Murad IV) was watching from the Sinan Pasha mansion at Sarayburnu, he flew from the very top of the Galata Tower and landed in the Doğancılar square in Üsküdar, with the help of the south-west wind. Then Murad Khan granted him a sack of golden coins, and said: 'This is a scary man. He is capable of doing anything he wishes. It is not right to keep such people,' and thus sent him to Algeria on exile. He died there."
Uploaded
March 22nd, 2014
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