Since I shared some memories from a visit to the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul, I've been meaning to share a few more memories from that trip to Istanbul. I've written a few posts about Istanbul at different moments. But I still have some photos and more memories to share. Then I saw @dreemsteem's post announcing the next @dreemport collaboration will be with @pinmapple. So a good chance to share some more memories and also join the challenge.
So today, I'll share some memories about our visit to a couple of emblematic places of the city that if you ever go to Istanbul, you will surely visit, the Galata Bridge and the iconic Galata Tower.
The Bridge
The Galata Bridge, although architecturally nothing special, is a symbol of the city, as it crosses the Golden Horn, a narrow strait in the Bosphorus, which separates the historical peninsula from the modern side of the city on the European side.
The bridge runs from the port of Eminonu to the Karaköy neighborhood in the Beyoğlu district. During our visit, we crossed it several times, and I would not say daily, as we sometimes moved by boat, mainly to cross to the Asian side of Istanbul.
The bridge is full of fishermen during the day and part of the night as well. It is amazing how many people stand on the sides of the bridge with their fishing rods.
From the bridge, the iconic Galata Tower can be seen at the top of the hill.
And we zoom in on the camera for a closer look. Although later, we wander the streets of the surroundings of it.
The fishing rods are side by side.
And not only on the bridge but in various parts of the city on the banks of the Bosphorus, it is common to see people fishing. It is an image of the city that I like.
And before we continue on our way. And before finished crossing the bridge to Karaköy, we looked back to admire the view we left behind, with the New Mosque in Eminonu Square, and in the background, at the top of one of the seven hills of the city, the impressive Süleymaniye Mosque.
Once we crossed the bridge, to climb the hill and reach the streets surrounding the tower, you can walk up the steep streets of the Galata neighborhood. Or you can use the funicular Tunel as we did that day. The funicular connects Karaköy with Beyoğlu, and the station is near the Tower.
The Tower
The Galata Tower is a medieval tower. It was built by the Genoese in 1348. And during the Ottoman Empire, due to its location on top of the hill, it was used as a watchtower.
We could not climb the tower, as every time we passed by there was always a long line to go up. We had only a few days to visit the city, and we wanted to visit as much as we could. But that is a good excuse to want to return, although there are plenty of excuses to want to revisit Istanbul.
I'm not one of those who likes to make poses for a photo, but I guess a picture with the Galata Tower in the background was worth it, hehe.
The Tower by night
The Galata district is very lively during the night. It is full of cafes, small stores, and some boutique hotels.
And the Tower is always illuminated.
The first time we passed by, there was a light show going on reflected in the tower, and if I remember well it was sponsored by Coca-Cola. I should have a video of it somewhere.
In the evenings we used to be around, so we had to cross the Galata bridge back to Eminonu. Our hotel was near there. So let me share some of the views we had from the bridge at night.
Galata with the Tower on top of the skyline.
View towards the Haliç bridge, where a line of the Istanbul subway passes.
And the view towards the Süleymaniye Mosque.
Thant's all for today, thank you for reading.
All photos were taken during our visit to Istanbul in December 2019. Some are with an iPhone 7, and some are with a Canon 60d.
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