Description of the attraction
The White Tower is a visiting card and one of the most interesting sights of the city of Thessaloniki, as well as an important historical and architectural monument.
The White Tower was built by the Turks in the 15th century as part of the fortifications protecting the city's harbor on the site of the old Byzantine fortifications. Some historians believe that the fort was built by the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, who specializes in such structures, but documentary evidence of this version has not been found. During the period of Turkish domination, the tower was used not only as a fort, it also housed a barracks for some time, and then a city prison. In 1826, it was in this tower, by order of Sultan Mahmud II, that a mass execution of the rebellious janissaries took place. Due to the huge number of ruined souls, the name "Tower of Blood" or "Red Tower" was firmly entrenched in the tower.
In 1912 Thessaloniki was liberated and officially became part of Greece. After a large-scale reconstruction, as a sign of cleansing from the blood spilled in its walls, the old tower was whitewashed, and the building was named "White Tower", more precisely, "buff color"). In 1917, additional fortifications protecting the tower were demolished.
The White Tower is a very impressive structure of two cylindrical towers - a large and a small one. The height of the large six-storey tower is 34 m, and the diameter is 23 m, and on its flat roof there is a tower of much more modest dimensions - 6 m high and 12 m in diameter.
The White Tower is famous for its excellent observation deck with excellent panoramic views of the city and the Thermaikos Gulf, and is also home to an entertaining museum, the exposition of which will acquaint you in detail with the history of Thessaloniki.
Description added:
Ludmila 2012-30-11
The mode of operation is not every day! The exposition is closed on Monday, the tower is closed to visitors.
