17th Century: The Tower as a Cultural Site
During the 17th Century, the role of the Galata Tower remained, but the stories associated with it developed. The most famous story attached to the site is that of the aviator Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi. Hezarfen used artificial wings to fly from the top of the Galata Tower over the Bosphorus to Uskudar, almost six kilometers away. After his success, the tower was often referred to as Hezarfen Tower by locals. During this time period, people also began using the tower to rope climb. By tying ropes to the top supports of the tower, people would climb up and slide down them. Competitions for rope climbing were held regularly (1).
Even if the role of the Galata Tower wasn’t changing, it continued to collect an assortment of stories connected to it. From things as frivolous as rope climbing to those as magical as Hezarfen’s flight, the tower is the site of many culturally significant moments in the city. As the city developed, the tower shifted from not only having practical uses, but to also serving as an iconic cultural site in the city. Once its associations grew to have cultural meaning, the tower grew in complexity, highlighting its apparent lieu de mémoire-quality.
(1) "Galata Tower." Galata Tower. istanbulvisions.com, 2007. Web. 05 Nov. 2016.