Trading Posts and Fortifications on Genoese Trade

Only Yoros Castle and Galata Tower were included on my itinerary of Istanbul and Marmara in October of 2023. Furthermore, although I stayed literally around the corner from Galata Tower, I never actually set foot in it. There are so many other elevated perspectives that you can find in Istanbul and the lines to enter Galata Tower are so long throughout the day that I expressly decided to skip it. So beyond agreeing that it is a very impressive building - arguably, one of the emblematic sights of Istanbul - I have very little to say about it.

Yoros Castle, on the Anatolian side a few kilometers from where the Bosphorus connects with the Black Sea, is free to visit. The remains of the main donjon are quite eye-catching and the perspectives over the strait are excellent, but very little is left of the rest of the fortifications. You can actually step inside one of the remaining towers. A quarter of an hour is probably the longest anyone would spend here (some people may take advantage of the nearby restaurant with views over Anadolu Kavağı and the Bosphorus to extend their stay). It is only about an hour's drive from Istanbul but is not worth a targeted trip.

The Genoese ascendancy in the region did not last all that long and is by most measures a minor chapter in the history. I tend to think that Galata Tower would not be out of place as an extension of …

I was surprised to find I had actually visited a site included in this nomination. During the Fall of 2007 I had the great pleasure of spending 5 days in Istanbul. Galata Tower, of Genoese design, made it on my itinerary primarily for its fantastic view. Galata district is worth a stroll, the buildings do have a distinctly European feel. The men selling bread on large saucer pans atop their head make a unique detour if you have an empty stomach.

While I can barely say I visited this nomination, I fondly remember my time in Istanbul, and Galata District and Tower were enjoyable and interesting. Perhaps for a true experience of the Genoese historical presence in Turkey, I will have to visit 1-2 fortifications upon my next visit. The picture above is the stunning view of Istanbul from Galata Tower.