Pera/Galata: Neighbourhoods and churches of a late Medieval Genoese city

During nearly two hundred years, from 1267 to 1453, the Genoese ruled over the Pera/Galata quarter of Istanbul. The Galata Tower stands as a reminder of this period. Although there is little public awareness about this heritage, in reality, an abundance of publications has been produced since the middle of the nineteenth century. The thesis aims to understand the characteristics of the Genoese settlement Pera, how it came to exist, function, survive over the years and how this is reflected to its monuments. It seeks to discover the communities that composed Pera, how they coexisted, how the neighbourhoods were organized, and how the Byzantine space was transformed. The methodology employed is the study of texts. The thesis aims to compile existing research about the Genoese city of Pera, its history, topography and urban life. The Genoese notary archives have been the main source for the scholarship. They are scanned with a particular focus on churches and neighbourhoods. Propositions are made for possible locations of San Antonio, San Giovanni Battista, and San Costantino. In addition, an Ottoman source, the Galata section of the 1455 Survey of Istanbul is thoroughly examined to detect information about the topography of Pera/Galata before its Ottomanization began. The findings of the Survey are compared with those of the Genoese sources with particular attention given to churches, neighbourhoods and communities.