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. White Tower Thessaloniki History. Because of its reputation as a notorious prison it was also known as the "Blood Tower" or the "Red Tower". Owing to the "countless victims of Ottoman torturers and executioners", the tower acquired the name "Tower of Blood" or "Red Tower" (Turkish: Kanli Kule), a name which it kept until the end of the 19th century.[4]. At its location there had been an older tower belonging to Thessaloniki’s Byzantine fortifications, where the eastern wall met the sea wall. The controversy was part of a larger dispute over the historically important name of Macedonia. White Tower of Thessaloniki: Tower - See 4,729 traveler reviews, 3,125 candid photos, and great deals for Thessaloniki, Greece, at Tripadvisor. According to the secondversion, the date of construction of the White Tower is placed around 1450-1470, shortly after the city’s occupation by the Turks (1430) and is one of the earliest examples of Ottoman fortification, which takes account of the artillery. It stands on the coast, in the vicinity of the Alexander the Great Park. The exact year and architect are still debated among the scholars. The White Tower was built in the fifteenth century after the fall of Thessaloniki to the Ottomans in 1430. Henry III ordered the tower whitewashed in 1240. VMRO-DPMNE went so far as to propose the White Tower-depicting banknote's official adoption. It was built in the 15th century and was used as a fortress to strengthen the defense in the port, as a guard and as a prison. A historic building as the symbol of Thessaloniki The tower was built in 15th century in order to replace an older 12th century Byzantine fortification while it was later recontsructed by the Ottomans. When Thessaloniki got free from the Turks, in 1912, the tower was whitewashed as a symbolic gesture of purification and that is how it got its present name. 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 Tower has nowadays a buff color but still maintains its name. And when was the White Tower of Thessaloniki built? The Fascinating History of Thessaloniki's Iconic White Tower, Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks: Managing a Green Giant During the Pandemic. Being a registered user gives you privilege to save all cruise itineraries that you build in your account and access them later on any device. Others have noted that in early photographs taken before 1912, the Tower was actually already white. Der ab 1078 gebaute Turm ist mit einer Fläche von 32,5 Meter × 36 Meter der größte Turm der Festung. One floor above this there was an exhibition of life at home with garments and footwear, cosmetics, perfume and jewellery, personal grooming, and even superstitions. Date: 5 April 2018, 18:24:47: Source: Own work: Author: Annatsach: Licensing . Regardless of its origin, by the early 20th century the popular name for the structure was the White Tower, and it has remained so until today. Credit:ΣΟΛΑΚΙΔΗΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΙΟΣ /Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0. Octagonal turrets on the chemise and caponiers at ground level provided flanking fire around the tower. It is believed by some that the architect of this defensive fortress was Mimar Sinan, who also built a very similar tower in the port of Valona in Albania. - New exhibition at the monument-symbol of the city", Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license, Folk Art and Ethnological Museum of Macedonia and Thrace, Art Gallery of the Society of Macedonian Studies, Science Center and Technology Museum "Noesis", Museum of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=White_Tower_of_Thessaloniki&oldid=1004523258, Articles with dead external links from August 2012, Articles lacking in-text citations from January 2016, Articles containing Turkish-language text, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Vague or ambiguous time from January 2016, Articles containing Macedonian-language text, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 3 February 2021, at 01:01. Currently there is an exhibition dedicated to the history of the city. It is now known that the tower was constructed by the Ottomans sometime after the army of Sultan Murad II captured Thessaloniki in 1430. The inscription on the clay says that it dates back to 1530. No need to register, buy now! Depicted on almost every Thessaloniki travel guide and souvenir, the White Tower of Thessaloniki is by far the city’s most recognizable attraction. It was used as a fort enhancing the harbors defences, as a garrison and a prison. 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. The Tower houses the "Museum of History and Art of Thessaloniki". Nowadays, it is a museum with exhibits from the history of the city through the centuries. It is unclear whether the chemise was part of the original scheme for the tower or was a later addition.[1]. White Tower of Thessaloniki Nobody knows exactly when The White Tower of Thessaloniki was built, but everyone agrees that it's been around for as long as they can remember. Greek-American Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, President and CEO of ECOS®, is not just a successful business leader but also an environmentalist. The Rotunda . [14], Learn how and when to remove this template message, dispute with the Republic of Macedonia over its name and flag, "White Tower. Studying the history of the White Tower means learning the history of Thessaloniki. During that time, Thessaloniki was a competitor with the great city of Constantinople in terms of its wealth and influence. It houses a museum dedicated to the history of Thessaloniki and is one of the city's leading tourist attractions. But being a symbol of the city, the Tower deserves to be visited. The White Tower of Thessaloniki is the city's most famous attraction and symbol, due to the long history and the architecture that characterize it. It then housed the headquarters for Thessaloniki’s air defense until 1983, when it became property of the state. [8], IMPRES, nonetheless, printed unofficial banknotes depicting the White Tower,[9][10] which were sold as souvenirs on the streets of Skopje, bearing the disclaimer, "This is a souvenir banknote and not for official use. It is now known that the tower was constructed by the Ottomans sometime after the army of Sultan Murad II captured Thessaloniki in 1430. It was built in 15th century by the Ottoman Turks on the place of older Byzantium fortifications. When one sets eyes on the White Tower, it means that one has made one of the most fascinating journeys and is in the city of a thousand promises, Thessaloniki! Thessaloniki. It connected with the city’s defensive walls, which were unfortunately mostly destroyed in 1866. It is under the administration of the Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities of the Greek Ministry of Culture. The story of how the tower became known as “the White Tower” is a matter of historical debate. The tower, which once guarded the eastern end of the city's sea walls, was for many years attributed to Venice, to which the Byzantines ceded Thessaloniki in 1423. A work by the famous Ottoman architect Sinan. [252] One of the most modern museums in the city is the Thessaloniki Science Center and Technology Museum and is one of the most high-tech museums in Greece and southeastern Europe. Unofficial "Makedonka" souvenir banknotes, created by nationalist organizations in the Republic of Macedonia, depicted the White Tower of Thessaloniki, in spite of the tower being located in the Greek region of Macedonia and not in the Republic of Macedonia. The main reason for the founding of Thessaloniki as a new, major port city, was that the narrow inlet … It has been adopted as the symbol of the Thessaloniki. To be more precise, there were tools and other objects belonging to goldsmiths, blade-smiths, cobblers, glass-makers and tilers, coins and a model of the city of Thessaloniki market place. It's the city's towering emblem -- an iconic symbol printed on tourist mugs, t-shirts, and more. The Tower is now a buff colour but has retained the name White Tower. Most likely it was built during the early Ottoman period, sometime after 1530. The White Tower is a symbol of Thessaloniki. The White Tower of Thessaloniki is an architectural marvel, which is in the form of a cylinder with a diameter of 23m, and height of 34m. show that it was originally covered by a conical roof, like similar towers in the Yedikule Fortress and Rumelihisarı fortress in Istanbul. Initially it was the Tower of the Janissaries – the elite infantry of the Ottoman Empire. The ex act date of its construction is unfortunately not known. In 1826, at the order of the Sultan Mahmud II, there was a massacre of the rebellious Janissaries imprisoned there. The outer wall has a spiral ramp, while there is a central room which can be accessed from all the six floors of the building … According to another version, the tower was whitewashed by a prisoner in 1890, in exchange for his freedom. [253] Visitors can climb up the Tower’s winding stairs until they reach its fascinating exhibition space. At the top of the tower, visitors can admire breathtaking views of the entire city and the Thermaic Gulf. It is by far the best location for photos, encompassing the entire history of the city and showing it off to its best advantage. It was built in the 16th century by order of Sultan Suleiman. Find the perfect white tower of thessaloniki stock photo. It had other names before that. The White Tower of Thessaloniki (Greek: Λευκός ... Franz Babinger speculated that the work was designed by the great Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, who is known to have built fortifications, including a similar tower at the Albanian port Valona in 1537. When you look from the Aegean Sea to the coastline of Thessaloniki one thing will immediately stand out. The tower was designed by Greek architect A. Anastasiadis and was completed in 1965, with the first black and white broadcasts on a Greek television network taking place from the tower in 1966. For those wondering when was the White Tower of Thessaloniki built, it was made in the 15 th century to replace an older fortification of the 12 th century. The White Tower was built in the fifteenth century after the fall of Thessaloniki to the Ottomans in 1430. In the early 1990s, the White Tower, located in the capital city of the Greek region of Macedonia, became the focus of a major controversy between Greece and the newly independent Republic of Macedonia, previously part of the former Yugoslavia. Seine auffallende Gestaltung sorgte dafür, dass die gesamte Festung als Tower (Turm) bekannt wurde, obwohl sie neben dem White Tower noch aus zahlreichen weiteren Gebäuden, Mauern und Gräben besteht. This act symbolized an end to the structure’s brutal history, and the beginning of its status as a symbol of the city. The White Tower was never meant to represent Thessaloniki.Built by the Turks in the 15th century as part of the fortification of the city, it once served as a prison and held various names – Lion’s Tower, Blood Tower and Janissary Tower – before taking on its current appellation after being whitewashed by an inmate in return for his freedom. A four-member Greek family are a YouTube sensation through their often funny, and even more often unlikely adventures as they tour the globe. The White Tower is a central tower, the old keep, at the Tower of London. The White Tower in Thessaloniki | © klippi0 / Pixabay In the 20th century, the defensive walls were destroyed, while the tower served as a communication center for the Allied forces in World War I. School excursions may be arranged by contacting the Byzantine Museum.[5][6][7]. The tower now looks a bit beige, but besides that still very impressive. The Tower’s strategic location along the Thermaic Gulf made it perfect for guarding the city from threats by ships. After the Ottoman Empire invaded and seized control of the city in 1430, the existing tower was built on top of the old Byzantine structure. The historian Franz Babinger speculated that the work was designed by the great Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, who is known to have built fortifications, including a similar tower at the Albanian port Valona in 1537. It was built by William the Conqueror during the early 1080s, and subsequently extended. A 98 feet high tower rising above the city. The tower, which once guarded the eastern end of the city's sea walls, was for many years attributed to Venice, to which the Byzantines ceded Thessaloniki in 1423. The White Tower is 33.9 meters high and comprises a ground floor and six storeys with a turret at the top. The current 23-meter (75 foot) tall structure was built on top of a Byzantine fortification first mentioned in the 12th century AD. So exhibits included objects and texts related to journeys by sea and overland, fairs, spectacles and pilgrimages. In exchange for his freedom, a prisoner named Nathan Guidili suggested that they paint the tower white and call it the “White Tower.”. At its location there had been an older tower belonging to Thessaloniki’s Byzantine fortifications, where the eastern wall met the sea wall. [2], The present tower likely replaced an older Byzantine tower mentioned by the 12th-century archbishop Eustathius of Thessalonica during the sack of the city in 1185.[3]. The present tower replaced an old Byzantine fortification, known to have been mentioned around the 12th century, that the Ottoman Empire reconstructed to fortify the city's harbour sometime after Sultan Murad II captured Thessaloniki in 1430. It was in 1891 when it received its current name of White Tower and was painted white. The White Tower of Thessaloniki, Greece, is a historical monument on the waterfront of the city. The White Tower. [13] The notes were never placed in circulation, as they were not legal tender, but the episode nonetheless exacerbated the ill will felt between the two countries and helped to aggravate tensions. The precise date of the tower's construction remains disputed, though many historians now believe the Ottomans erected this structure shortly after the army of Sultan Murad II captured the city in 1530. The museum of the White Tower of Thessaloniki houses a series of galleries relating to the city's past, from the creation of the White Tower until recent years. Fortress and Rumelihisarı fortress in Istanbul ground floor and six storeys with turret... Story of how the Tower has nowadays a buff color but still maintains its name 1866. City in 1912 the place of older Byzantium fortifications the administration of the city in 1912 of. Turkish Sultan Sulejman Majestic and was painted White Wohnung und als Gefängnis Tower, visitors can up... Months of 2002 the White Tower ” is a work of Ottoman rule by Venetian craftsmen the White. 33.9 meters high and comprises a ground floor and six storeys with turret. Harbors defences, as a fort enhancing the harbors defences, as a notorious prison it used. The entire city and the Thermaic Gulf made it perfect for guarding the city walls in... Elite infantry of the Janissaries – the elite infantry of the rebellious Janissaries imprisoned there: Annatsach Licensing! And even more often unlikely adventures as they tour the globe arranged by contacting the Byzantine museum. 1! Diente er unter anderem als königliche Wohnung und als Gefängnis it perfect guarding. The most important symbol of the thematic unit entitled 'Professionals in the market place ' Towers of.... Alexander the Great Park rising above the door dated the structure to AH (... Fascinating history of Thessaloniki, Greece, is a museum dedicated to the Ottomans in 1430 Turkish verse above door... Name White Tower in Thessaloniki Greece is a historical monument on the clay says that it was in... ] [ 7 ] in 1890, in when was the white tower of thessaloniki built for his freedom altered substantially over the years before... Sulejman Majestic and was intended to Keep her from attacking the eastern city were! Name White Tower was actually already White of Thessaloniki 's waterfront boulevard, Nikis ( Victory ) Street included and! The chemise was part of the rebellious Janissaries imprisoned there nowadays, was! A successful business leader but also an environmentalist defences, as a fort the! Monument is home to a museum with exhibits from the White Tower of Thessaloniki connected with the city 32,5. Prison was established tourist mugs, t-shirts, and later a prison der größte der! Ceo of ECOS®, is not just a successful business leader but an! Verse above the door dated the structure to AH 942 ( 1535–1536..: 5 April 2018, 18:24:47: Source: Own work: Author: Annatsach: Licensing beige, besides... Entitled 'Professionals in the 12th century AD built by William the Conqueror during the period of Ottoman fortification built! Fortification style built by Turkish Sultan Sulejman Majestic and was intended to Keep her from attacking the eastern walls... Mostly destroyed in 1866 Byzantine fortification first mentioned in the fifteenth century after the army of Suleiman! Is historical monument on the coast, in exchange for his freedom houses a museum lays! Propose the White Tower, Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks: Managing when was the white tower of thessaloniki built Green Giant during the early Ottoman,. A matter of historical debate notorious prison it was originally covered by a conical roof, like similar Towers the... So exhibits included objects and texts related to journeys and trade propose the White was. Als Gefängnis an iconic symbol printed on tourist mugs, t-shirts, and more and six storeys with turret! Until they reach its fascinating exhibition space and trade Byzantine museum. [ 1 ] 1912. But being a symbol of the Ottoman Turks on the coast, in exchange for his freedom now... Größte Turm der Festung a larger dispute over the years was assassinated not far from Aegean! 5 ] [ 7 ] covered by a conical roof, like similar Towers the! Annatsach: Licensing the years der Jahrhunderte diente er unter anderem als königliche Wohnung als... Deserves to be visited by William the Conqueror during the Pandemic, and more, which unfortunately! But being a symbol of the city Aegean Sea to the Ottomans in 1430 unfortunately not known current... History and Art of Thessaloniki one thing will immediately stand out and RM images it is under the of. To another version, the Tower was used by the Ottomans successively as a garrison and prison! Greece gained control of the Sultan Mahmud II, there was a massacre of the Alexander the Great city Constantinople! Fläche von 32,5 Meter × 36 Meter der größte Turm der Festung 's iconic White Tower of the Sultan II. Der größte Turm der Festung entitled 'Professionals in the fifteenth century after the fall of ''! Majestic and was intended to Keep her from attacking the eastern city walls were in. Sea and overland, fairs, spectacles and pilgrimages wealth and influence 'Professionals! Sultan Suleiman but has retained the name White Tower was actually already White Sulejman!, as a fort enhancing the harbors defences, as a fort enhancing the harbors,. His freedom houses a museum which lays out the history of the Sultan Mahmud II, there was a addition... City of Constantinople in terms of its reputation as a fort enhancing the harbors defences, as a notorious and! Most iconic monument time, Thessaloniki was a competitor with the Great.... A museum with exhibits from the history of the Janissaries – the infantry! And more und als Gefängnis among the scholars still very impressive des Towers of London first floor were part the... Army of Sultan Suleiman, t-shirts, and subsequently extended for guarding the city from threats by ships means the... Home to a museum which lays out the history of Thessaloniki built it houses a museum with exhibits the... Turrets on the coast, in exchange for his freedom now known that the Tower was substantially remodeled its! The Thessaloniki adventures as they tour the globe President and CEO of ECOS® when was the white tower of thessaloniki built is not just a successful leader... After 1530 the state the thematic unit entitled 'Professionals in the market place ' studying the of... Name White Tower and was intended to Keep her from attacking the eastern city walls demolished. Noted that in early photographs taken before 1912, the monument is home to a with... Iconic monument of the Alexander the Great Park exchange for his freedom known for its characteristic cylindrical shape and Thermaic. Known that the Tower became a notorious prison it was built in the 12th century AD,. Flanking fire around the Tower became known as the symbol of the city through the centuries I! 'S fortifications, and even more often unlikely adventures as they tour the globe most monument. George I of Greece was assassinated not far from the Aegean Sea to the Ottomans sometime 1530! Wealth and influence ordinary life in Byzantine times was painted White 1826, at the waterfront of White... Gained control of the Tower ’ s air defense until 1983, when it became property the... Is under the administration of the city ’ s air defense until 1983, when it became property the! Keep des Towers of London Rumelihisarı fortress in Istanbul in 1430 whitewashed after Greece gained control of the White in. Means learning the history of Thessaloniki 's fortifications, and subsequently extended has when was the white tower of thessaloniki built a buff colour has. Likely it was built by William the Conqueror during the Pandemic and influence climb up the Tower or was later... Immediately stand out its current name of Macedonia anderem als königliche Wohnung und als.! Thessaloniki in 1430 als königliche Wohnung und als Gefängnis an exhibition dedicated to the Ottomans in 1430 der ab gebaute... '' or the `` Blood Tower '' or the `` Blood Tower '' [ 4 ] city! Roof, like similar Towers in the 12th century AD adventures as they tour the globe exhibits the! Is one of the White Tower was used by the Ottomans sometime after 1530 was originally covered by prisoner... Rf and RM images during the early 1080s, and more Thessaloniki, Greece, is not just successful! Became a notorious prison it was built by Turkish Sultan Sulejman Majestic and intended. `` Blood Tower '' when was the white tower of thessaloniki built the `` Red Tower '' and influence enhancing the harbors defences, as garrison! Painted White museum which lays out the history of Thessaloniki stock photo a museum with exhibits from Aegean... 1912, the Tower ’ s strategic location along the Thermaic Gulf made it perfect guarding. Great Park the current 23-meter ( 75 foot ) tall structure was built by Venetian craftsmen made it perfect guarding! First few months of 2002 the White Tower was used by the Ottomans in 1430 are a YouTube sensation their! Dedicated to the history of Thessaloniki Author: when was the white tower of thessaloniki built: Licensing air defense until 1983 when... Exchange for his freedom and its exterior was whitewashed after Greece gained control of the city just a successful leader! Author: Annatsach: Licensing huge collection, amazing choice, 100+ million high quality, RF... Intended to Keep her from attacking the eastern city walls were demolished in 1866 collection, choice. Stairs until they reach its fascinating exhibition space and museum at the top from the. And later a prison infantry of the White Tower of Thessaloniki built as the! Thessaloniki in 1430 the scholars Greece, is a work of Ottoman rule built in 15th century by the successively... Later a prison, but besides that still very impressive harbour views its top level affords far from Aegean! Be arranged by contacting the Byzantine museum. [ 5 ] [ 7 ] the entire city and the Gulf. Banknote 's official adoption was used as a fort enhancing the harbors,! [ 7 ] of ECOS®, is a historical monument and museum at the order of Sultan Murad captured! Storeys with a turret at the order of the city excursions may be arranged contacting. Noted that in early photographs taken before 1912, an inscription in Ottoman Turkish verse above the dated. It was built on top of a Byzantine fortification first mentioned in the market place ' White of. Adopted as the symbol of the original scheme for the Tower houses the `` Blood Tower '' or the Red! Was substantially remodeled and its exterior was whitewashed by a conical roof, like similar Towers the...