Iconic Towers in Istanbul

Istanbul is a shining city filled with towers that pierce our blue sky with their great heights. As of 1992, Istanbul was on its way to being a cradle of magnificent towers. Istanbul had the chance of bearing various iconic towers that withhold historical values as well. Maiden's Tower, Galata Tower, and Beyazıt Tower are some of them. These towers individually had different reasons to operate, but as of our day, they are mostly open to visitors that wish to take a step into these fantastic buildings.

Galata Tower

Originally built by the Genoese in 1348, Galata Tower was initially called the "Tower of Christ" and was the tallest building in Istanbul at the date. Located in Beyoğlu, Galata Tower offers a remarkable panoramic scenery of Bosporus and Istanbul. Built in order to maintain the security of Byzantines by Genoese, Galata Tower later functioned as a tower to spot fires in the city until further damages made it unable to function. Galata Tower has undergone a final restoration between the years of 1965-1967. During this restoration, the wooden interior was strengthened by a concrete structure and the iconic, conically shaped roof that was destroyed in past occurrences was built again, enhancing the display of the tower. With its architectural structure and fascinating height, Galata Tower has been a prominent symbol of Istanbul.

Maiden's Tower

Bearer of countless love stories and incredible legends, Maiden's Tower is another icon of Istanbul. This tower is in the middle of the Bosphorus strait and it manages to be one of the most visited tourist attractions in Istanbul. Located on the coast of Üsküdar, Maiden's Tower is a must-to-visit landmark with a small museum and a restaurant inside. Functioned in numbers of manners, Maiden's Tower's neither original construction date nor aim is certain. This tower has lived through many disasters such as an earthquake in 1509 and a major fire in 1721 that destroyed a big part of it. Maiden's Tower was restored between 1731 and 1763, and it was used as a quarantine station for a while. After an additional restoration in 1832 by the Ottoman Sultan, Maiden's Tower was used as a lighthouse. Whether viewed from the shore or visited by a ferry, Maiden's Tower establishes fantastic scenery for its visitors.

Beyazıt Tower

In old times, the fires were critical disasters that often resulted in numerous casualties and damages due to Istanbul's main architectural structure being based on timber. Such significant disasters had to be maintained in order to reduce the damage done to the city. Beyazıt Tower was one of the main towers that was used in order to spot, warn, and take care of fires in Istanbul. Located on top of one of the "seven hills" which Istanbul is built on, Beyazıt Tower has a panoramic view of Istanbul. Initially constructed in 1749 using timber, Beyazıt Tower was destroyed due to fires and riots many times and was reconstrued with timber again. Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II ordered Senekerim Balyan, an Ottoman Architect, to construct a stone tower. This tower is still in use to report weather forecast. Lighting equipment is used to signal the weather. Red means snow, blue means clear weather, green means rain and yellow means fog.

Küçük Çamlıca TV Radio Tower

Küçük Çamlıca TV Radio Tower is a newly built telecommunications tower with observation decks and restaurants in it. Located in the Küçük Çamlıca Hill, this radio tower is capable of holding 125 broadcasting transmitters. After the completion of the Küçük Çamlıca TV Radio Tower, many other towers around which disrupt the view and were harmful to health demolished to create a cleaner space. This building's architectural structure is based on the tulip plant, which is an essential symbol for Turkish people. With its incredible tallness and great architecture, this tower creates an amazing sight for Istanbul.

Istanbul Sapphire

Istanbul Sapphire is a prominent business skyscraper located in the Levent district. This skyscraper was both Istanbul's and Turkey's tallest skyscraper when its construction was over in 2010. As of today, it ranks as the 4^th tallest building in Turkey. With its high-tech architectural structure and ecological design, Istanbul Sapphire is one of Istanbul's iconic towers. Istanbul Sapphire is one of the important centers of business life in Istanbul in addition to the luxurious residence and shopping mall it contains.