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Across the Galata Bridge from the old centre, the separate township of GALATA ( www.galata.net ) has its own fascinating history, concurrent with that of Constantinople itself. By the fifth century the area already had city walls, soon after which Tiberius built a fortress on this side of the Horn - part of which remains as the Yeralti Camii on Kemankes Cad - in order to close the water to enemy shipping. In 1261 Galata became a Genoese trading colony, and during the early centuries of Ottoman rule it functioned as the capital's "European" quarter, home to non-Muslim Jewish, Greek and Armenian minorities, as well as European merchants and diplomats. Overcrowding during the subsequent centuries saw the Europeans gradually spread from Galata along the hilltop into Pera , which, by the early twentieth century, was known by its current name, BEYOGLU , boasting fashionable music halls, cinemas and restaurants. After the exodus of much of the Greek population from Beyoglu in the 1960s the area began to lose its cosmopolitan flavour, becoming home to brothels, pick-up joints and sex cinemas, but over the last decade it has undergone a remarkable metamorphosis and now plays host to dozens of trendy cafe-bars, restaurants and clubs coexisting alongside the fast-disappearing sleaze. The Galata Tower (daily 9am-6.30pm; $2), built in 1348, is the area's most obvious landmark, and one of the first places to head for on a sightseeing tour, since its viewing galleries, reached by means of a modern lift, offer the best panoramas of the city. Up towards Istiklal Caddesi , Beyoglu's main boulevard, an unassuming doorway leads to the courtyard of the Galata Mevlevihane (Mon & Wed-Sun 9.30am-4.30pm; $1), a former monastery and ceremonial hall of the "Whirling Dervishes" and now a museum of the Mevlevi sect, which was banned by Ataturk along with other Sufi organizations because of its political affiliations. Exhibits include instruments and dervish costumes, and the building itself has been beautifully restored to late eighteenth-century splendour. Staged dervish ceremonies take place in December and on specific summer evenings (check inside or call 0212/245 4141 for details). The best way to continue along from the bottom of Istiklal Caddesi, formerly La Grande Rue de Pera, is to hop on the antique tram which trundles along its 1200-metre length to Taksim Square , taking in the sumptuous fin-de-siecle architecture. The Military Museum (Wed-Sun 9am-5pm; $1), about 1.5km north along Cumhuriyet Caddesi, is worth visiting mainly for the Mehter band who play traditional Ottoman music (3-4pm). The wide assortment of Ottoman armour and weaponry, along with various campaign memorabilia including the tent used by campaigning sultans, should appeal to military buffs.
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