Marmara Region, Bereketzade, Şimşir Sk. No:14, Beyoğlu
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Galata, City of Gates
From the 13th century onwards, the Genoese dug moats fifteen metres wide in front of the Galata walls to guard against attacks from land. The city was entered through gates that rose above these moats and were closed at night for safety. Porta Comego, Porta Chiera, San Antonio... Each gate had a name, and a story told through the inscriptions and coats of arms above it.
Our hotel stands among the buildings closest to the site of one of the largest of these moats — Büyük Hendek, "the Great Moat", whose name the street still carries today. In this spot at the very foot of Galata Tower, one of the gates in the walls most likely stood just a few steps from where we are now.
La Porta — Italian for "the door" — takes its name from this heritage. In medieval Galata, passing through the gate meant leaving the noise of the day outside the walls. Our promise to guests crossing La Porta's threshold today is the same: leave the weight of the city at the door.
