Galata Bridge

Arriving down the hill across some very busy streets is the Galata Bridge across the Golden Horn, a natural inlet in the Bosphorus River where it meets the Sea of Marmara. The Golden Horn divides “Old Istanbul” (former Byzantium) and the new city to the north. In 1502 Sultan Bayezid II commissioned Leonardo da Vinci to design a bridge to be built at the location of today’s Galata Bridge. However, the Sultan did not approve of da Vinci’s single span design and the bridge was never built. Michelangelo was also invited to design a bridge for the Golden Horn but he declined the project. In 1845 Valide Sultan had the first Galata Bridge built at the mouth of the Golden Horn and called it New Bridge (Cisr-i Atik). This wooden bridge was replaced in 1863 by another wooden bridge. A third bridge on this spot was completed in 1875 and used until 1912 when it was moved upstream to replace the New Bridge. A floating bridge was constructed in 1912 by a German firm but it was damaged by fire in 1992 and taken upstream to make way for the current bridge which was completed in 1994.

There is a level below the traffic level with some touristy restaurants and stores. From the bridge you can look west to Europe and east across the Bosphorus to Asia and there is a good view of the mosque.

After you cross the bridge and a large plaza you immediately enter a series of street markets, which are actually the back of the exterior of the Spice Market, on your way up a long hill to the mosque.Read more