Ministry of Tourism Takes Over Galata Tower from İstanbul Municipality

Saying that the takeover was illegal Mayor İmamoğlu has shared the letter he sent to the minister.

İstanbul

Photo: AA

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The Ministry of Tourism and Culture has taken over the Galata Tower, a 672-year-old landmark building of the city, from the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality.

After İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu released the letter he sent to Minister Nuri Ersoy to the public. He said in the letter that the tower was the property of the municipality since 1855 and the ministry's decision was not in accordance with the "hundreds-year-long tradition of foundations."

The mayor from the country's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) also said that the ministry previously attempted to take over 10 properties of the ministry and was unwilling to work together with the municipality.

"We will share these unlawful and unfair attempts with the public and ensure that the attitude of your ministry is known by the people İstanbul," the letter reads.

The evacuation order by the Beyoğlu District Governor's Office was illegal, according to the mayor.

About the Galata Tower

The tower was built in 1348 in the Romanesque style and was initially called the Tower of Christ (Christea Turris). It was erected by the Genovese, soon after an invasion in the area.

The tower was not built from scratch, but its main role was to replace a similar structure. The original structure was known as the Great Tower, a Byzantine construction with the primary role to control the Golden Horn entrance. It was built on another site, yet it was completely destroyed in 1203.

The Galata Tower went through a series of renovations over time. Most of them occurred when the area was controlled by the Ottomans. Apart from its military purpose, it also had civil roles during peaceful times. It was most commonly used to spot fires from a long distance and react accordingly when the area was not at war.

Most restorations affected the roof, which was often destroyed by fires or severe storms. At some point, Ottomans decided to stop reconstructing it.

The 18th century was quite peaceful for İstanbul. Therefore, the Galata Tower was mostly used for civil purposes. After 1875, its reconstruction was no longer a viable project due to the multiple disasters from the previous years.

A few more renovations occurred in the 20th century, with the last important one between 1965 and 1967. The roof was rebuilt from scratch.

Once it was over, the area was no longer a war zone. The authorities decided to replace the wooden interior with concrete and open the tower to the public. It is now one of the most important attractions in İstanbul.

Source: galatatower.net

(EMK/VK)