Galata was a neighbourhood opposite
Constantinople (today's
Istanbul,
Turkey), located at the northern shore of the
Golden Horn, the
inlet which separates it from the historic peninsula of old Constantinople. The Golden Horn is crossed by several bridges, most notably the
Galata Bridge. The medieval
citadel of Galata was a
colony of the
Republic of Genoa between 1273 and 1453. The famous
Galata Tower was built by the Genoese in 1348 at the northernmost and highest point of the citadel. At present, Galata is a quarter within the borough of
Beyoglu in Istanbul, and is known as
Karaköy.