Man makes historic jump from Galata Tower 385 years after Hezarfen Çelebi
Drawing inspiration from an Ottoman aviator, BASE jumper Koçak says he will attempt to glide to Üsküdar
Cengiz Koçak, an adrenaline thrill-seeker inspired by 17th century Ottoman scientist Hezarfen Çelebi, completed a BASE jump from Istanbul’s iconic Galata Tower. Çelebi jumped off the tower in 1632 and glided to Üsküdar, across the Bosphorus Strait, in the world’s first intercontinental flight. Koçak’s jump was completed 385 years after Çelebi’s.
“It was the most important jump of my life,” Koçak said about the jump. He explained that he planned a series of other jumps.
“It will be in seven phases. This was the first. I will now try to glide to Üsküdar. I’m more excited than usual. For the first time in 385 years, someone jumped [from Galata Tower]. May this be an ode to Hezarfen,” Koçak added.
The distance between the Galata terrace, where Koçak jumped from, and the ground is 37 meters.
BASE jumping stands for four categories from which athletes can jump: buildings, antennas, spans and earth (cliffs). It is an extreme sport that involves parachuting or wingsuit flying from a fixed structure.
Comments you share on our site are a valuable resource for other users. Please be respectful of different opinions and other users. Avoid using rude, aggressive, derogatory, or discriminatory language.