THE WHITE TOWER

             THE FASCINATING HISTORY OF THESSALONIKI’S WHITE TOWER

 

The residents of Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, often use their White Tower as a point of reference when giving directions in their beautiful seaside city.  That is because the Tower is Thessaloniki’s most iconic monument.

 

Thessaloniki has a rich history starting from antiquity up to the modern era but is most noted for its importance during the Byzantine period.  During that period, Thessaloniki was a competitor with Constantinople in terms of wealth and influence.

 

The White Tower was built on top of Byzantine fortifications, first mentioned during the 12^th century AD.   After the Ottoman Empire invaded and seized control of the city in 1430, the Tower was built on top of the old Byzantine structure. 

 

The White Tower was then called the “Tower of Blood” because there, innocent people were brutally killed by the barbarian Ottoman troops. 

 

When the Greek troops took Thessaloniki back from the barbarians, during the First Balkan War, in 1912, they painted the Tower white, an act that symbolized the end of the structure’s brutal history and a new beginning.

 

Today the Tower houses a museum that lays out the history of Thessaloniki.  One can climb up the stairs and admire a breath-taking view of this beautiful city.

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