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Jewish
life in Galata began in Byzantine times when Galata was a separate
walled city across the Golden
Horn from Constantinople.
Galata
(now called Karaköy) was ruled
by the Genoese,
who had among them numerous Jewish
families. After the Ottoman conquest
of Istanbul in
1453, many new Jewish settlers arrived,
especially during the reign of Sultan
Beyazit II.
From
the 1500s onward, Galata was mostly
Jewish. As recently as the late 20th
century, Galata rang with the songs
and street-games of Jewish children
speaking Ladino (Judeo-Spanish).
Today
most of Istanbul's Jews live in more
desirable residential quarters, though
Galata's synagogues are still
in use.
Sites
in Galata include the Chief
Rabbinate, the Neve
Shalom and Italian synagogues,
the Schneider Synagogue (Terziler
Havrasi, now used as an art
gallery), the Zulfaris
Synagogue Museum,
a Jewish elementary school, and the Kamondo
staircase.
GETTING
THERE
Galata
is built on the steep hillside which
stretches between Karaköy on
the Golden
Horn, and Beyoglu on
the heights above. The cylindrical Galata
Tower (Galata Kulesi), topped
by its conical roof, is a convenient
landmark.
From
Taksim
Square: Galata is easily
accessible from Taksim
Square. Take the restored turn-of-the-century tramvay (tramway)
which runs from Taksim to Tünel
Square along Istiklal
Caddesi.
From
Tepebasi: From hotels on
Mesrutiyet Caddesi (Pera
Palas, etc.) walk
one long block west to Istiklal
Caddesi, then turn right. You
can take the restored tramway,
or simply walk for five minutes
to Tünel
Square.
From
Other Districts: Take a bus,
taxi or ferryboat to Karaköy,
then ride the Tünel,
Galata's little two-station underground
train, from Karaköy up to Tünel
Square. The Tünel was
built by French engineers in 1875,
and modernized several decades
ago.
WHAT
TO SEE IN GALATA
The
office of Turkey's Chief
Rabbi is two minute's walk from
Tünel Square. From the Tünel
building, cross Istiklal
Caddesi walking obliquely to
the left, and walk 1-1/2 blocks along
Ensiz Sokak to its end. Turn left,
then right onto Yemenici
Abdullatif Sokak, and the Chief
Rabbinate is near the end of
the street on the right-hand side,
at no. 23.
The Chief
Rabbinate has been here since
1876, when the sultan still reigned.
After
seeing the Chief Rabbinate, return
along Ensiz Sokak to the Tünel building.
Keeping the Tünel on your right,
walk about 30 meters east and turn
right onto Galipdede Caddesi.
On the left-hand side just a few
steps along the street is the former Galata
Whirling Dervish Hall (Galata
Mevlevihanesi), which now serves
as the Museum of Ottoman Calligraphy (Divan
Edebiyati Müzesi). The
tekke is a wooden building set in
a lovely garden, and is worth a visit.
Continue
downhill on Galipdede Caddesi past
music and bookshops, and workshops
specializing in wood veneers, to
the Galata
Tower. The tower was originally
the high-point in the Genoese fortifications
which protected the town of Galata
during Byzantine and
early Ottoman times.
In the nineteenth century as the
population of Galata spread outside
these walls, the tower was rebuilt
and used as a fire watchmen's post.
In
the 1970s, restoration and modernization
gave it a new function as an observatory,
restaurant and nightclub. After paying
an admission fee, you can take an
elevator to the observation platform to
enjoy the panoramic views of Galata
and old Istanbul.
From
the Galata Tower, walk northwest
along Büyük Hendek Caddesi
to the Neve
Shalom Synagogue, at no.
67, midway between the Galata Tower
and Sishane Square.
Neve
Shalom is one of
the larger synagogues in the
city, designed and decorated
in a modern style. Inaugurated
on March 25, 1951, it is used
for major functions of the community
such as weddings and funerals. More...
Leave
Neve Shalom, turn right, walk a few
steps and turn right again onto the
short, narrow lane called Lakerdaci
Sokak. At no. 12 is the Musevi I.
Karma Ilk Okulu, a Jewish primary
school under the aegis of the
Turkish National Education Ministry.
Though the entrance to the school
is around the corner from the synagogue,
the buildings are actually adjoining.
The
larger street parallel to Lakerdaci
Sokak is Sair Ziya Pasa Sokak. From
the primary school, go to Sair Ziya
Pasa Sokak and turn right, walking
downhill. A few blocks along is the Italian
Synagogue, on Sair Ziya Pasa
Sokak at the corner with Laleli Cesme
Sokak.
The Italian
Synagogue was founded
in the 1880s by Istanbul Jews who,
because of factional disputes within
the community, placed themselves
under the protection of the Italian
ambassador. There are two entrances
to the synagogue, the main (front)
entrance on Sair Ziya Pasa Sokak,
and a side entrance at Laleli Cesme
Sokak No 8. The front entrance
should be used in order to appreciate
the synagogue's Gothic-like
facade and marble staircase.
The interior is
appealing, harmonious, and well preserved,
with double hanging arches in the
balcony, a deep dome with stars and
stained glass windows, and Turkish
carpets on the floor.
From
the Italian Synagogue, walk east
and north along Laleli Çesme
Sokak to the Galata
Tower, turn right, and walk down
Camekan Sokak, keeping to the left
when the street forks. It's a ten-minute
walk up steep streets and down from
the Italian Synagogue to the next
point of interest. Along the way
you wander through the daily
life of Galata: workshops,
groceries, housewives hanging out
laundry, children playing in the
narrow streets or making their way
to and from school.
Go
down the stairs on the left-hand
side of Camekan Sokak and at the
end of the steps you come face-to-face
with the Ashkenazi Synagogue,
Yüksek Kaldirim No. 37, on a
steep pedestrian street descending
the hill from the Galata Tower to
Karaköy.
Inaugurated
in 1900, the facade of the Ashkenazi
Synagogue is especially imposing,
with three Oriental arches and octagonal
rosette windows. Inside, the
floors are of marble, the lofty dome
is painted with stars, and the elaborately-worked ark of
dark wood blends eastern European
and Arabesque styles.
From
the Ashkenazi Synagogue, go back
up the steep steps to Camekan Sokak,
turn left, and descend steeply to
the Kamondo Staircase, a graceful
curved double staircase joining the
lower end of Camekan Sokak to the
thoroughfare of Bankalar
Caddesi (also called Voyvoda
Caddesi). The staircase was built
in the nineteenth century on the
order of the Kamondos, the Jewish
community's most prosperous family.
From
the staircase, turn left and walk
downhill along Bankalar Caddesi to Karaköy
Square. The Zulfaris
Synagogue on Haracci Ali Sokak,
dating from 1671, is presently being
restored as a museum of Turkish Jewish
life. The Zulfaris was the main venue
for weddings and funerals until the
construction of Neve Shalom.
Jewish
Interest Sites in:
Bursa
Izmir
Sardis
Other
Sites
A
Walking Tour of Jewish Heritage
Sites in Turkey
Jewish
Sites in Turkey
Special
Interest Trips
Recommended
Itineraries
Turkey
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