Commissioned by Sultan Mahmud I in 1732, the Tophane Fountain in the Tophane Square is the third largest of its kind in Istanbul. A fine representation of the 18th century Ottoman rococo style, the fountain is an important historical heritage site in Karaköy. The fountain features calligraphic inscriptions of a poem by Nafihi. It is also known as the Sultan Mahmud I Fountain.

Tophane Fountain is a plaza fountain designed as a new urban motif. It stands apart from other plaza fountains, which define and scale the public square they inhabit, with the style and composition of its inscriptions.