White Tower of Thessaloniki

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White Tower
Λευκός Πύργος Beyaz Kule Kuli Blanka
The White Tower c. 2015
General information
Status	Museum
Type	Fortress; garrison; prison
Architectural style	Early Ottoman
Location	Thessaloniki, Greece
Coordinates	40°37′35″N 22°56′54″E / 40.6264°N 22.9483°E / 40.6264; 22.9483
Completed	c. 15th century
Height	33.9 m (111 ft)
Dimensions
Diameter	22.7 m (74 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	6

This article or section appears to contradict itself on whether its design was changed in or after Ottoman rule. Please see the talk page for more information. (April 2023)

The White Tower of Thessaloniki (

In 1912, as Greece gained control over the city, and the White Tower was substantially remodeled and its exterior was whitewashed. White Tower has been adopted as the symbol of the city.

Physical attributes

The White Tower takes the form of a cylindrical drum 23 m (75 ft) in diameter with a height of 34 m (112 ft) above ground level, on top of which is a turret 12 m (39 ft) in diameter and 6 m (20 ft) high. Some of the embrasures in the outer wall of the tower are reached by a spiral ramp; others are accessed from a central room on each of the six floors.

The turret houses a platform with a diameter of 10 m (33 ft), and the platform at the top of the main tower in front of the turret is about 5 m (16 ft) wide.

History

Origins

The present tower likely replaced an older

The historian Franz Babinger speculated that the structure was designed by the Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, who is known to have built fortifications, including a similar tower at the Albanian port Valona in 1537.^[3] This dating is supported by historian Michel Kiel, though he states that Sinan's involvement cannot be ascertained.^[1] Another study by French scholars estimates a date between 1450 and 1470, arguing that the 16th-century inscription refers only to an outer chemise.^[4][5]

Modifications

The Ottoman-built structure itself has been altered substantially over the years. Early illustrations^[when?] show that it was originally covered by a conical roof, like similar towers in the Yedikule Fortress and Rumelihisarı fortress in Istanbul.

Until its demolition in 1917, a chemise stood at the foot of the tower, supporting the heavy guns and enclosing an area at least three times the diameter of the main tower. Octagonal turrets on the chemise and caponiers at ground level provided flanking fire around the tower. It is unclear whether the chemise was part of the original scheme for the tower or was a later addition.^[2]

The tower was for centuries part of the walls of the old city of Thessaloniki, separating the Jewish quarter of the city from the cemeteries of the Muslims and Jews.^[6] The city walls were demolished in 1866.

From the Red Tower to the White Tower

The Tower was used by the Ottomans successively as a fortress, garrison and a prison. In 1826, at the order of the Sultan

The current name of The White Tower came to be in 1890, when the tower was whitewashed by a convict in exchange for his freedom. It has had many names over the centuries: "Lions Tower" in the 16th century, the "Fortress of Kalamaria" in the 18th century, the "Janissary Tower" and the "Blood Tower" in the 19th century as it served as a prison and place of execution for long term convicts. After the incorporation of Thessaloniki into Greece in 1912, the tower became the symbol of the city.^[7]

King George I of Greece was assassinated not far from the White Tower in March 1913.

The Tower is now a buff colour but has retained the name White Tower. It now stands on Thessaloniki's waterfront boulevard, Nikis (Victory) Street. It houses a museum dedicated to the history of Thessaloniki and is one of the city's leading tourist attractions.

White Tower Museum

The White Tower houses an exhibition dedicated to the city of Thessaloniki and its history throughout various periods, organized by the city's

The Tower is open to the public, and visitors have the opportunity to view a map of the city with monuments and museums, a timeline with events relevant to Thessaloniki, scientific articles of distinguished historians and archaeologists, bibliography etc. School excursions may be arranged by contacting the Byzantine Museum.^[8][9][10]

Depiction

In the 1990s, the White Tower was depicted on various objects, including T-shirts and posters, in the Republic of Macedonia (now North Macedonia).^[11]

According to historian Donald Sassoon, banknotes depicting the White Tower were created by extreme nationalist organizations in the Republic of Macedonia.^[12] VMRO-DPMNE proposed the White Tower-depicting banknotes' official adoption. However, the government in Skopje rejected its official use and adopted a different design for the new denar, which was issued in 1992.^[13][14]

IMPRES printed unofficial banknotes depicting the White Tower, which were sold as souvenirs on the streets of Skopje, bearing the disclaimer, "This is a souvenir banknote and not for official use."^{[15][need quotation to verify][16]}

Gallery

• 
  Bulgarian postcard from the late 19th century. The caption reads: A Macedonian merchant jumps from the scary Turkish prison "Blood Tower" in Salonica, to escape Turkish tortures.
• 
  Second floor gallery
• 
  Roof
• 
  View from the roof
• 
  Night view
• 
  White Tower in 2013

See also

• Ottoman architecture

References

Citations

Sources

• ISBN 0-14-023377-6
  .
• Simons, Marlise (February 3, 1992). "As Republic Flexes, Greeks Tense Up". New York Times.
• ISBN 0-521-65221-9
  .

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to White Tower (Thessaloniki).

• Official Museum Site