Galata Tower (old) enabling them to enter the harbor and attack the city from the sea, where the walls were more easily scaled. This tower should not be confused with the present-day Galata Tower, which is still standing. The current tower was built by the Genoese in 1348, on a different site, at the northernmost and highest point of the citadel of Galata. The Genoese named the new tower as "Christea Turris" ("Tower of Christ"). The Byzantines, however, also called this new tower with the name "Megalos Pyrgos" ("Great Tower"). Galata Tower (old) The old Tower of Galata (, meaning "Great Tower") was
Galata (Pera) in Istanbul, and is known as Karaköy. There are several theories concerning the origin of the name "Galata". The Greeks believe that the name comes either from "Galatai" (meaning "Gauls"), as the Celtic tribe of Gauls (Galatians) were thought to have camped here during the Hellenistic period before settling into Galatia in central Anatolia; or from "galatas" (meaning "milkman"), as the area was used by shepherds for grazing in the Early Medieval (Byzantine) period. Italians believe the name comes from "calata" meaning slope or descent, because Galata, which is a former Genoese colony, is located on a hill that