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Lively Galata is one of the most interesting neighborhoods in Istanbul, Turkey. It’s located in the district of Beyoğlu, on the slope of a hill leading down to the north shore of the Golden Horn.
Introduction to Galata
Galata (Γαλατάς) was a quarter of Constantinople and a Genoese colony from 1273 to 1453. When Constantinople fell to the Ottomans in 1453, the residents were mainly Genoese and Venetian. There are still a handful of buildings remaining from this period as well as landmarks of the city’s Jewish history.
Galata once ran all the way down to the Golden Horn and Bosporus, but has been divided into different neighborhoods in modern times. Old Galata once included Karaköy and other areas. The information below only includes historic and cultural attractions within the socially accepted modern boundaries of the neighborhood.
Galip Dede Street in Galata
The best place to start exploring Galata is at Galip Dede Street. It’s at the end of Istiklal Street near Tünel. You can follow the street downhill, quickly passing the gates of the Galata Mevlevi Lodge Museum on the left. It eventually turns into Yüksek Kaldırım and leads down to Karaköy Square.
Adamopulo Han
At the first intersection is Adamopulo Han, which was built in 1906 by Ottoman Greek architect C. Coulouthros. This six-story apartment building has the main façade on Galip Dede Street while the back of the building faces Şahkulu Street.
Teutonia
A few buildings down on the left is Teutonia. Now an apartment building, it served as a German club and later as a Nazi propaganda center before World War II. It has been under renovation during my last few visits.
Matbah Emini Hasan Ağa Fountain
After Galip Dede Street turns into Yüksek Kaldırım, at Lüleci Hendek Street is the Matbah Emini Hasan Ağa Fountain (Matbah Emini Hasan Ağa Ceşmesi). It was built in 1649 by Hasan Ağa, who was in charge of the Topkapi Palace kitchens during the reign of Sultan Mehmed IV. The fountain was restored in 1851 under Sultan Abdülmecid I and again in 2018.
Serdar-ı Ekrem Street in Galata
Serdar-ı Ekrem Street (Serdar-ı Ekrem Caddesi) is a trendy street intersecting Galip Dede Street as it turns into Yüksek Kaldırım. It was once just a shady backstreet with nothing going for it except for a couple important buildings. Today, it’s full of boutique shops and cafés.
Kamondo Apartment
One of those buildings is the Kamondo Apartment (Kamondo Apartmanı). It was built between 1861 and 1868 by Abraham Kamondo (1781-1873), a prominent banker. The Kamondo family were originally Sephardic Jews from Spain who fled to Venice in 1492 and settled in Galata in the 17th century.
The building contains beautiful wooden bay windows and stands four stories high. It has been home to prominent Turkish artist Abidin Dino (1913-1993) and writers Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar (1901-1962), Yaşar Kemal (1923-2015), Orhan Veli (1914-1950), Oktay Rifat (1914-1988), Melih Cevdet Anday (1915-2002), and Sait Faik Abasıyanık (1906-1954).
Doğan Apartment
The other is the massive Doğan Apartment (Doğan Apartmanı), which was built by a Belgian banking family, the Helbigs, in 1895. It changed hands several times but has always been prime real estate.
The building, which was originally the Helbig Apartment (Helbig Apartmanı), is named after Doğan Taşkent, the son of one of its owners, Kazım Taşkent. Doğan died at the age of 10 in 1939 in a skiing accident in Switzerland.
The Doğan Apartment consists of four blocks surrounding a beautiful courtyard. Until the late 1920s, it featured private tennis courts and uniformed doormen. The building underwent a major renovation and upgrade in 2001. It’s said that Turkish singers Sezen Aksu, Teoman, and Tarkan as well as actor Şener Şen have all been residents.
Istanbul German School
Near the end of the street is the intersection with Şah Kulu Bostan Street. It leads uphill to Istiklal Street, but also to the Istanbul German School (Deutsche Schule Istanbul / İstanbul Alman Lisesi). It was founded in 1868 to serve the German-speaking community in Constantinople. The original building was located near the Galata Tower and was heavily damaged in an earthquake in 1894. The school moved to its current location in 1897. It closed from 1918 to 1924 and again from 1945 to 1953.
Students take five years of classes in German, Turkish, and English. Alumni receive both a Turkish and German high school diploma, allowing them to apply for any university in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland.
Crimea Memorial Church
The Crimea Memorial Church (Kırım Kilisesi) is an Anglican church a few steps downhill from the end of Serdar-ı Ekrem Street. It was built between 1858 and 1868 on land donated by Sultan Abdülmecid I. Its purpose was to memorialize British soldiers who had participated in the Crimean War.
In 1856, British architect William Burges (1827-1881) won a competition to design the church. The cornerstone was laid in 1858 by the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Stratford Canning, 1st Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe (1786-1880). During the construction process, there were concerns about Burges’ “un-English” design and he was removed as architect in 1863. The new architect, George Edmund Street (1824-1881), oversaw the completion of the church.
The Crimea Memorial Church closed in 1979 due to lack of a congregation. It reopened in 1991 and services are held every Sunday. If you’re in the neighborhood, it’s worth popping by for a visit.
Inside, there’s a rood screen that depicts notable residents of Istanbul. It was painted by Scottish artist Mungo McCosh. There’s also an organ above the entrance and a handful of memorials.
Downhill from the Galata Tower
The Galata Tower, one of the most iconic structures in Istanbul, is one of the biggest draws in Istanbul. While the tower itself is important to the history of Galata, there are plenty more interesting things to see as you walk downhill.
Bereketzade Fountain
First, in the shadow of the tower is the Bereketzade Fountain (Bereketzade Çeşmesi). It was built in 1732 to replace an older fountain. The original fountain was built in the mid 15th century by Bereketzade Hacı Ali bin Hasan, Mehmed the Conqueror’s muezzin. The fountain used to stand next to the Bereketzade Mosque, the first mosque built in Galata after the Fall of Constantinople in 1453. It was moved to its current location in 1957.
British Police Station
Down Galata Kulesi Street is the old British police station (İngiliz Karakolu). It was built as a British prison in 1904 and later used as the British police station, lodging, office, and house. It now functions as a restaurant.
St. George Lazarist Catholic Priests School
At a curve in the street is the former St. George Lazarist Catholic Priests School. It was founded in 1882 by Lazarist priests to train clergy for Catholic churches and was affiliated with the St. George School and Church. It closed after the signing of the Lausanne Treaty in 1923. The building is now property of the Okçu Musa Primary School (Okçu Musa İlkokulu).
Church of SS Peter and Paul
The Church of SS Peter and Paul (Sen Pier ve Sen Paul Kilisesi / Chiesa dei Santi Pietro e Paolo a Galata) is across the street from the St. George Lazarist Catholic Priest School. It’s an important Roman Catholic church in Istanbul that dates back to the late 15th century.
Sometime between 1475 and 1478, Mehmed the Conqueror converted the Church of San Domenico into a mosque. That building is now the Arab Mosque. The friars from the Church of San Domenico moved a short distance uphill to a house owned by Angelo Zaccaria, a nobleman from Venice. Attached to the house was a chapel dedicated to SS Peter and Paul.
On April 20, 1535, the property was ceded to the friars. They built a church and monastery in 1603. In 1608, a firman by Sultan Ahmed III put the complex under the protection of the Kingdom of France.
The church burned down in 1660 and was completely destroyed. According to Ottoman law, total destruction meant that the land would become property of the Ottoman government. European powers interceded and a new church was built in 1702. That church burned down in 1731 and was rebuilt out of wood.
Features of the Church of SS Peter and Paul
The current church was built between 1841 and 1843 by Swiss-Italian architects Gaspare and Giuseppe Fossati. It’s in the form of a basilica. The copula is painted blue and studded with gold stars. The rear wall was built into the old Genoese walls of Galata.
The Church of SS Peter and Paul contains several relics, including those of St. Renatus, St. Thomas, St. Dominic, and SS Peter and Paul. There’s also an icon of the Virgin Hodegetria that originally belonged to the Church of St. Mary of Constantinople (Santa Maria di Constantinopoli) in the old city. That church was originally built as a Byzantine Orthodox church. It was given to the Domincans in 1475, converted into the Odalar Mosque in 1640, and destroyed by fire in 1919.
The courtyard east of the church’s entrance is a narrow alley containing tombstones engraved mostly in Italian.
Mass and Visiting Hours of the Church of SS Peter and Paul
Mass is celebrated in Italian at the Church of SS Peter and Paul from Monday through Friday at 8am and on Saturday at 7pm. Visiting hours are listed as Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from 3:30pm to 5:30pm, but it’s not always open.
Genoese Podestat
On the next corner at Kart Çınar Street are two important Genoese buildings. First is the original Genoese Podestat (Palazzo di Comunità Magnificat), or city hall. It was built in 1250 as the home and office of the Genoese chief administrator (podestà) of Galata. The building was reconstructed in 1314 and the building across the street, the Palazzo del Comune, became the new Podestat.
Palazzo del Comune
Across the street is what’s left of the second Podestat (Palazzo del Comune). It was built in 1314 by Montano de Marinis as an identical copy of the Palazzo San Giorgio in Genoa. It burned down in 1315 and was rebuilt in 1316. Unfortunately, only the back half of the building remains. The original façade once stood on Bankalar Caddesi but was demolished in 1908. The remainder of the building is abandoned and crumbling, and doesn’t give any indication of its glorious history.
Saint Pierre Han
Taking up the block to the west is Saint Pierre Han (Sen Piyer Han). It was built in 1771 by François-Emmanuel Guignard, Comte de Saint-Priest (1735-1821). It originally housed French interests in Constantinople including the French National Bank.
From 1856 to 1893, Saint Pierre Han was the home of the Ottoman Bank. The building also hosted the Constantinople Bar Association, Italian Chamber of Commerce, Greek Chamber of Commerce, Consulate of Spain, the offices of several architects including Giulio Mongeri (1873-1953), and a mustard factory.
If you look closely, you’ll notice the crest of the Comte de Saint-Priest adorning the building as well as the fleur-de-lis of the Kingdom of France.
There’s also a plaque commemorating the birth of French poet André Marie Chénier (1762-1794). He was born in a wooden house on the site on October 30, 1762. His father was a French diplomat and his mother a Greek. The family moved to France when Chénier was three years old and the house later burned down.
Future of Saint Pierre Han
Bahçeşehir University had originally rented the building in 2011 with plans to convert it into a conservatory, but beaurocracy prevented any progress. Fortunately, the city finally stepped in and started restoration on February 10, 2022, in conjunction with the Bahçeşehir Uğur Education Foundation (Bahçeşehir Uğur Eğitim Vakfı). The restoration, which is ongoing (as of July 2024) will preserve the building’s cultural and historical heritage. When complete, it will re-open to the public and feature temporary and permanent exhibition halls, a library, workshops, and areas for cultural activities. The project is expected to be complete sometime in 2024.
Urban Exploration at Saint Pierre Han
When I lived in Istanbul, Saint Pierre Han was mostly abandoned except for a couple metalworking shops. Because of its colorful history, I was always fascinated by the building. In March 2012, thanks to two Turkish friends, I was able to gain access. The following photos are from the two days I spent exploring the abandoned parts of the building:
St. George’s Austrian High School
Walking east down Kart Çınar Street is St. George’s Austrian High School (Österreichisches St. Georgs-Kolleg / Sankt Georg Avusturya Lisesi). It was founded in 1882 by Lazarist priests as a primary school for German-speaking Catholic children. The school was originally a primary school and orphanage but added middle and high school sections in 1913. It closed in 1919 but was secularized and reopened after the foundation of the Turkish Republic in 1923.
The school became a “German” school after Nazi Germany annexed Austria. It closed in 1944 and reopened in 1947 due to a souring of relations between Germany and Turkey. Since 1995, students have had the opportunity to receive an Austrian high school diploma as well as a Turkish one. This opens the door to allow them to study at any Austrian university. Attached is the St. George Church (Sankt Georg Kilisesi), which has been operating in Galata since about 1330.
British Seamen’s Hospital
On Bereketzade Street are two important hospitals. The imposing British Seamen’s Hospital (Eski İngiliz Bahriye Hastanesi) dates back to 1904 and was designed by British architect Henry Percy Adams (1865-1930).
The building has an L-shaped plan. In the center is a large tower that can be seen from a distance. Nowadays, it’s a state-run Turkish hospital.
St. George Austrian Hospital
A bit further down across the street is the St. George Austrian Hospital (Österreichisches St. Georg Krankenhaus / Sen Jorj Avusturya Hastanesi). It was originally built in 1872 by two priests from Graz, Austria, who decided to help the local population during a cholera epidemic. The hospital has grown and added on to the original building ever since.
Laleli Fountain
At the corner of Şair Ziya Pasha Street and Laleli Çeşme Street, near the Italian Synagogue, is the Laleli Fountain (Laleli Çeşmesi). This Art Nouveau fountain was built by Italian architect Raimondo D’Aranco (1857-1932) in 1904
Walls of Galata
Finally, in an open space next to the Italian Synagogue are some of the last remaining Genoese walls that once encircled Galata. They were built in the 14th century and all but a few sections were demolished in the 1870s to allow for expansion of the city. You can spot the bell tower of the Church of SS Peter and Paul behind the walls.
Jewish Heritage in Galata
One of the most important aspects of Galata is its rich Jewish heritage. There are a handful of active synagogues as well as a wonderful museum.
Museum of Turkish Jews
The Quincentennial Foundation Museum of Turkish Jews (500. Yıl Vakfı Türk Musevileri Müzesi) celebrates the history and traditions of Jews in Turkey. It’s a few steps from the Galata Tower on Büyük Hendek Street and is the best place to explore the Jewish heritage of the country.
The museum opened on November 25, 2001, in the Zülfaris Synagogue just off Karaköy Square. It moved to the Neve Shalom Synagogue on September 25, 2015, and opened to the public on January 14, 2016.
The museum was founded by the Quincentennial Foundation, which was established in 1989 by 113 Turkish citizens, both Jewish and Muslim, to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Sephardic Jews to the Ottoman Empire.
Visiting the Museum of Turkish Jews
The Museum of Turkish Jews is open Sunday to Thursday from 10am to 5pm and Friday from 10am to 3pm. Adult admission is 250₺ (as of July 2024). A valid passport or official ID card is required to enter the museum, and there’s a security check before entering the building.
This excellent and informative museum is divided into three sections. On the first floor, there are exhibits about the history of Jews in Turkey. Artifacts on display include photos, military uniforms, sports awards, and occupational items.
There are also stories about Turkish Jews in government and Turkish citizens who helped Jews from Europe escape the Holocaust.
The second section contains torah scrolls and a small ethnographic section. It talks about weddings, traditional clothing, and other traditions.
The third section is on the second floor. In addition to interactive displays, recordings, and videos, you can learn about Turkish Sephardic food and music. One display is dedicated to the Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) language that is spoken by many Turkish Jews.
Neve Shalom Synagogue
The Neve Shalom Synagogue (Neve Şalom Sinagogu) is accessible to visitors of the Museum of Turkish Jews via a door from the museum gift shop. It was built in 1951 by Turkish-Jewish architects Elyo Ventura and Bernar Motola. With a capacity of over 2,000 worshippers, it’s the largest Sephardic synagogue in Istanbul.
The Neve Shalom Synagogue has suffered three terrorist attacks. On September 6, 1986, gunmen opened fire on worshippers during a Shabbat service killing 22. The attack was attributed to Palestinian militant Abu Nidal (1937-2002). On March 1, 1992, a bomb exploded but caused no damage and or casualties. On November 15, 2003, the synagogue was hit by a truck bomb along with the Beth Israel Synagogue in Osmanbey. A combined total of 23 people were killed and over 300 were injured.
Ashkenazi Synagogue
On Yüksek Kaldırım, about a block before Karaköy Square is the Ashkenazi Synagogue (Eşkenazi Sinagogu). It’s the only active Ashkenazi synagogue open for worship in Istanbul and was founded by Austrian Jews in 1900. Visits can be arranged by contacting the Chief Rabbinate of Turkey.
Italian Synagogue
The Italian Synagogue (İtalyan Sinagogu) is on Şair Ziya Pasha Street. It was established in 1862 by the Italian Jewish community of the city. The land for the synagogue was donated by Sultan Abdülaziz. The original building was demolished in 1931 and the current synagogue was built in its place.
Schneider Synagogue
On narrow Felek Street is the Schneider Synagogue (Terziler Havrası). It was built in 1894 by the Tailors’ Guild. The synagogue was abandoned in the 1960s and about 50 years later became the Schneidertemple Art Center (Schneidertemple Sanat Merkezi). Admission is free (as of July 2024) and it’s open daily except Mondays from 11am to 6pm.
Kamondo Han
Further down Felek Street is Kamondo Han. It was built in 1881 by the Kamondo family, a prominent banking family. They were originally Sephardic Jews from Spain who fled to Venice in 1492 and settled in Galata in the 17th century. The building is now a luxury residence.
Where to Eat in Galata
Galata has a good selection of decent restaurants. Obviously, many are geared towards tourists.
Federal Coffee Company
First, if you’re looking for a great breakfast and good coffee, try Federal Coffee Company. It’s about a block from the Galata Tower. We visited twice for breakfast and left happy both times. My only complaint was the server on the second day was a bit rude.
For my first breakfast, I had the menemen. My second breakfast was an egg sandwich with bacon. Both were excellent.
Süheyla
Hidden on a backstreet winding uphill from the Galata Tower is Süheyla. It’s a small family-owned place specializing in traditional Turkish breakfast and mantı.
The menemen is very good, but the muhlama steals the show. It’s a very heavy cheese and cornmeal dish (much more cheese than cornmeal) from the Black Sea region. It’s something that you’ll feel in your stomach all day, so I recommend sharing.
Galata Frida House
A block down from Süheyla is Galata Frida House. They have a large menu full of Turkish specialties and a few international dishes. I stopped in for lunch one afternoon and had the saç kavurma. It was very good, service was friendly and efficient, and prices were reasonable.
Galata Konak Café
A short walk down from the Galata Tower is Galata Konak Café. It’s one of those places hidden from plain view. The rooftop terrace has essentially the same views as the tower minus the skyscrapers to the north.
It’s hard to get a table along the edges of the terrace with an unobstructed view, but if you go in the middle of the afternoon for a cup of coffee or a pastry it should be fairly quiet.
Personally, I would head up in the morning to get one of their delicious breakfasts with a nice clear view of the old city. Be aware the prices are a little bit higher than what you’d pay at ground level.
Dashan Sushi
On Serdar-ı Ekrem Street, just down from the Şişhane metro station on Istiklal Street, is Dashan Sushi (formerly Bee Bubble and Cha’ya Galata). They have a great selection of over 30 types of tea. They also have a menu featuring sushi, Asian dishes, and salads. It’s a nice place to sit and chat with friends, or take your laptop and work in a peaceful setting. (Note: the photos below are from when it was called Bee Bubble)
Kule Bistro
A block from the Galata Tower down Büyük Hendek Street is Kule Bistro. This simple place offers Turkish breakfast, döner kebabs, tea, and coffee. I had a quick lunch there. It’s nothing to write home about but it does the trick and the service is friendly.
