Kamondo Stairs
Kamondo Stairs
4
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- Şişhane • 6 min walk
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4,946 within 3 miles
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1,197 within 6 miles
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.0
85 reviews
Excellent
22
Very good
43
Average
18
Poor
1
Terrible
1
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Urius
Vilnius, Lithuania770 contributions
Sep 2021
The stairs are nicely made, quirky, and a stones' throw from Galata Tower. If you want to take photos on the stairs without dozens of other people getting in the way, I recommend to try to get to the stairs before 9am. Then, you can get whatever photos you want.
Written September 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
YeicGeztoz✔
Türkiye32,896 contributions
Mar 2024 • Solo
The curved staircase in Karaköy, built by Abraham Salomon Kamondo towards the end of the 19th century for his grandchildren, who were studying at that time, to use when coming home. It is popularly known as Lovers' Staircase. Nowadays, the staircase used to take a shortcut to the Galata Tower attracts attention from tourists due to its architecture.
Written April 19, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
starlightShanghai
Victoria, Canada4,611 contributions
Mar 2024 • Solo
Easy enough to find. From Karaköy Tram stop, head up Kemeralti Cd. (the main drag) to the first traffic light at Maliye Cd. Cross to the other side of Kemeralti Cd. and head back down the hill to Bankalar Cd. Turn right and walk a few meters until you see it (on the right hand side).
Not sure it’s worth a special trip, but if in the area, certainly worth having a boo at, assuming you can see through the suffocating tour groups, all wanting to have a zillion pictures taken of themselves on the stairs. I was fortunate in that I left just as they were all arriving.
Not sure it’s worth a special trip, but if in the area, certainly worth having a boo at, assuming you can see through the suffocating tour groups, all wanting to have a zillion pictures taken of themselves on the stairs. I was fortunate in that I left just as they were all arriving.
Written March 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GRTraveller
Basel, Switzerland783 contributions
Feb 2023 • Solo
Very nice spot for photo and definitely worths a visit! Is very close from Galata tower so is not a big deal to go there!!
It have also a big history behind built in 19th century sponsored by the Jewish Kamondo family.
It have also a big history behind built in 19th century sponsored by the Jewish Kamondo family.
Written February 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ginges_revenge
Brisbane, Australia5,862 contributions
Mar 2020
When looking at where these stairs are, some sites say this is on the Asian side. It is in Karakoy near the Tunnel tram/rail.
It is a little hard to find and when found, I thought it looked run down.
With a little love and care, these stairs could be a little highlight in this area.
Worth a look but don't stay too long.
It is a little hard to find and when found, I thought it looked run down.
With a little love and care, these stairs could be a little highlight in this area.
Worth a look but don't stay too long.
Written September 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jmeem42016
Dee Why, Australia765 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
I write this review because I'm the old guy in one of the photos TripAdvisor chose for this place. The forgotten purpose was that the stairs were built by a wealthy Jewish banker to save his grandchildren extra walking on their way to school. Their circular design meant that if the kids stumbled or fell they would not roll far. Unfortunately this individual emigrated to Spain (one can one assume due to bias and/or persecution and thus Turkey lost someone inventive as well as wealthy.
Written August 5, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
atulya_sinha
Kolkata (Calcutta), India874 contributions
Jun 2019
The iconic Camondo (or Kamondo) staircase was built in the late 19th century - sponsored by the Jewish Camondo family, who were leading bankers during the Ottoman period. It provides a convenient route for climbing from Bankalar Caddesi (Bank Street) in Karakoy to the Galata Tower, the daily route between home and the workplace for the Camondos. It is also said that it was built for the children of the Camondo family.
This staircase is built in the Art Noveau style and is said to resemble a flowing river. You will often come across a musician or two on its landings, who provide live music while you pause for breath and click a photo.
This staircase is built in the Art Noveau style and is said to resemble a flowing river. You will often come across a musician or two on its landings, who provide live music while you pause for breath and click a photo.
Written November 11, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Flying Dutchman
Somme-Leuze, Belgium933 contributions
May 2018 • Solo
If you are in Galata area, and want to get to Karaköy (or vice-versa) those stairs give you an alternative to funicular. The stairs go through a historical area of Istanbul and you can experience the art-nouveau architecture in this small part of Istanbul which you do not see very often.
Written July 9, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jsgiguere
Vancouver, Canada121 contributions
Mar 2016 • Solo
Popular folklore has it that the banker family (House of Camondo) built these stairs so that their kids can take a shortcut to school. And fearing the kids may tumble down the steep stairs it was designed to be curvy in sections so even if you fall you would get caught/stopped in one of the curves instead of all the way down.
No matter if that's true or not, it is an interesting piece and if you're walking from transit stop to visit Galata Tower anyways you might as well walk by/through it. First of all, the location outlined in Tripadvisor and Google Maps are incorrect. I've attached a map screenshot showing the actual location with this review but probably will get rejected as it's not a photo of the attraction. For those of you with map software the coordinates are 41°01'26.2"N 28°58'25.5"E
Coming out of the Karakoy station of the T1 tram line, cross the street towards the Tunel Karakoy station. Take that street (or next street) up the hill to the banker street (Bankalar Caddesi). Make a left and you'll see these stairs on your right. From there it's basically more uphill walk through narrow streets and you'll come upon Galata Tower.
No matter if that's true or not, it is an interesting piece and if you're walking from transit stop to visit Galata Tower anyways you might as well walk by/through it. First of all, the location outlined in Tripadvisor and Google Maps are incorrect. I've attached a map screenshot showing the actual location with this review but probably will get rejected as it's not a photo of the attraction. For those of you with map software the coordinates are 41°01'26.2"N 28°58'25.5"E
Coming out of the Karakoy station of the T1 tram line, cross the street towards the Tunel Karakoy station. Take that street (or next street) up the hill to the banker street (Bankalar Caddesi). Make a left and you'll see these stairs on your right. From there it's basically more uphill walk through narrow streets and you'll come upon Galata Tower.
Written April 12, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
junior1907
Istanbul, Türkiye195,903 contributions
Sep 2014 • Solo
The Camondo Steps,a famous pedestrian stairway was built around 1870 and is located on Banks Street in Galata(Karaköy) quarter of İstanbul.This is very nice to climb it up through different unhill roads up to Beyoğlu area.
This is more than 150 years old and very interesting to see and walk away through it.Recommended if you are in and around Karaköy or Beyoğlu area.
This is more than 150 years old and very interesting to see and walk away through it.Recommended if you are in and around Karaköy or Beyoğlu area.
Written September 28, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Le scale portono alla torre di Galata? D google map non si comprende bene l'ubicazione.Grazie.
Written August 7, 2017
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