White Tower of Thessaloniki

White Tower
Λευκός Πύργος
Beyaz Kule
Kuli Blanka
The White Tower c. 2015
Map
General information
StatusMuseum
TypeFortress; garrison; prison
Architectural styleEarly Ottoman
LocationThessaloniki, Greece
Coordinates40°37′35″N 22°56′54″E / 40.6264°N 22.9483°E / 40.6264; 22.9483
Completedc. 15th century
Height33.9 m (111 ft)
Dimensions
Diameter22.7 m (74 ft)
Technical details
Floor count6

The White Tower of Thessaloniki (Greek: Λευκός Πύργος Lefkós Pýrgos; Turkish: Beyaz Kule; Ladino: Kuli Blanka) is a monument and museum on the waterfront of the city of Thessaloniki, capital of the region of Macedonia in northern Greece. 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 fortress some time after Sultan Murad II captured Thessaloniki in 1430. During the period of Ottoman rule, the tower became a notorious prison and the scene of numerous mass executions, most famously of the Janissaries who revolted during the reign of Mahmud II.

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.


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