The Galata Tower was built in the 14th century by the Genoese colony as part of the defense wall surrounding their district at Galata. After the conquest of Constantinople by Mehmet II, it served to detect fires in the city. After the Republic, Galata Tower was restored and opened to the public in 1967. The tower now houses a restaurant and a night club, as well as the panoramic terrace which is 52 meters above the ground.
This composition, located inside the tower, is the depiction of Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi, the first flying Turk during the Ottoman Empire of the 17th century. He copied bird wings and studied air flows, than jumping from the Galata Tower he overflew the Bosphorus and landed at Uskudar district on the Asian side, around 6 kilometers in distance.
(Location: Istanbul)

Uploaded by slavica on 5/13/2007, viewed 5842 times.