The former terrible Turkish prison Lefkos Pyrgos or the White Tower with a height of 27 meters is a symbol of Thessaloniki, the brightest monument of ancient architecture. At one time it was called the bloody tower. Along the seaside Zoo Park, where this tower is located, there is a dividing line between the old part of the city and the new quarters. It was built by the Turks on the orders of Sultan Mahmud II in 1430 for the defense of Fort Kalamaria, as a defensive structure: it was part of the city wall and covered the eastern part of Thessaloniki. It is assumed that the famous Ottoman architect Sinan designed it. Historians believe that it was built on the site of an ancient Byzantine fortress. For a long time it was used as a barracks, then as a prison. After the demolition of the lower fort and the city walls, it was painted white. Over time, it became similar to the color of ivory. The massacre of prisoners staged in 1826 turned the White Tower into a red one: because of the blood spilled. In 1912, it was whitewashed again, as if symbolically ridding it of its bloody past. Then the White Tower was transferred to the Byzantine Museum. Amazing collections of sculptures, fragments of mosaic floors and walls, frescoes and icons, coins and ceramic products – these are the components of the museum's exposition.
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Татьяна Васильевна
Level 7 Local Expert
November 15, 2023
Cool place. It's good to walk in the evening. The White Tower is considered the center of the city. Near the marina, the embankment, there is an opportunity to go boating and drink wine. The prices are very reasonable.
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1
Владимир Исаков
Level 27 Local Expert
September 12, 2023
Одно из немногих мест в городе где можно прогуляться и посмотреть достопримечательности и море , днём очень тепло было в конце июня +45🥵
Особо не погуляешь 😄