It’s the landmark of Thessaloniki, the strong bond of the modern city and its history, the familiar, easy meeting point for locals and visitors, an impressive tower by the sea, one impossible to miss once you visit Thessaloniki.
According to historians it was built at the 15th century A.D. and part of the fortress wall that was surrounding Thessaloniki in medieval ages, actually built over an already existing older barricading tower.
It’s original name was the Lion Tower, later also known as Fortress of Kalamaria or Blood Tower.. and finally the White Tower, the name that follows this well-known landmark up to this very day!
The White Tower is 34 meters in height and 70 meters in perimeter of its cylindrical structure, consisting of 6 floors to climb to the top. Each floor has a round hall in the middle and the top barrel vault is fortified with all around battlement of medieval embrasures and merlons - a roof that offers a time travel view of the gulf ahead.
It was built original just a strip of land away from the sea, but over the years erosion of the sea took over the land making the tower today a part of the gulf curve of the great Thessaloniki promenade right next the sea and in the middle of the heart of the city, as it’s visible all across to coast line of the city as well as many major cross-roads downtown due to the landslide towards the sea and the gulf curve that the White Tower is built at.
There is no Thessaloniki local or visitor that hasn’t strolled along the tower hasn’t enjoyed a coffee at the various cafes around or hasn’t enjoyed the glorious sun in one of the numerous parks surrounding the tower. It’s the landmark immediately recognizable as part of Thessaloniki and one of the most visited areas in the entire city.
The White Tower offers today a permanent exhibition dedicated to the story of the city Thessaloniki since the day it was founded and the panoramic view that it offers from its rooftop towards the gulf, the harbor, the suburbs or the up sliding city buildings of the Up-Town (with more extended remains of the original surrounding wall) is just breathtaking!
This is the place that you won’t miss to take a photo once you visit, one that its charm will stay with you long after you’ve left the city of Thessaloniki behind!
