Istanbul’s Çamlıca Tower was opened by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in May 2021 and at a height of 369m it’s officially Europe’s tallest tower. Recently becoming the centre of attention within the area, it’s also starting to be recognized internationally, with 35% of the 1.19m tourists who have visited so far this year, being foreign.
The tower not only shows off Türkiye’s architectural design and prowess, it also boasts a magnificent view of the city’s skyline and historical landscape. If that wasn’t enough to keep visitors engaged, there’s also a multi-dimensional movie which discusses the local area & the building of the tower + there’s an interactive exhibition which allows visitors to virtually discover the moon’s surface.
At a cost of just over $121m USD the tower design took inspiration from the Tulip flower which was a symbol of hope for the Turk’s during the Ottoman period. The main axis forms the roots and feeder stem, whilst the restaurant and viewing terrace resemble the unopened bud that hasn’t yet bloomed. The two observation decks are situated on the 33rd and 34th floors, and the restaurant/café are situated on the 39th and 40th. A panoramic elevator serves all floors.
Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu recently announced that the number of people visiting the tower has increased, with over 400,000 people so far this year compared with 2022. He commented that ‘Istanbul’s Çamlıca Tower tower is gaining more and more importance as an international tourist attraction center’. On average, a visit should be around 1hr to 1.5hrs.
*image credit to Daily Sabah News
