White Tower
White Tower is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Thessaloniki audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~45 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type landmark
- Suggested visit ~45 min
- Thessaloniki Thessaloniki guide
About White Tower
The round stone tower on the seafront that is the symbol of Thessaloniki: an Ottoman fort and notorious prison, once called the Tower of Blood, now whitewashed and home to a museum of the city.
The White Tower, the Lefkos Pyrgos, stands on the waterfront of Thessaloniki and is the emblem of the city. A cylindrical stone tower about 34 metres high and 23 across, with six floors reached by a spiral ramp, it was built by the Ottomans after Sultan Murad II took the city in 1430, probably on older foundations, and once anchored the eastern end of the sea walls. The exact date is disputed, from a lost inscription suggesting the 1530s to scholars who argue for the mid-fifteenth century.
The Ottomans used it as a fort, a garrison and a prison, and a place of execution; after a massacre of imprisoned Janissaries in 1826 it became known as the 'Tower of Blood' and the 'Red Tower'. The name 'White Tower' is traditionally said to date from 1890, when a convict whitewashed it in exchange for his freedom. After Greece took Thessaloniki in 1912 it was remodelled and made the city's symbol; it now holds a museum of the history of Thessaloniki, with a view from the top.
Did you know? The White Tower was built by the Ottomans after Sultan Murad II took Thessaloniki in 1430, and once anchored the eastern end of the city's sea walls, long since demolished.
How long should you spend at White Tower?
Plan about ~45 min at White Tower. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is White Tower worth visiting?
White Tower is one of the 13 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Thessaloniki, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Thessaloniki
Day 2 of the Thessaloniki in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of White Tower
Preview the Thessaloniki tour free in the Gingerguide app.