The White Tower is considered a symbol of Thessaloniki, Greece and is a historical landmark located on the shores of the Gulf of Thessaloniki. It houses the “Byzantine Museum” and is one of the leading tourist attractions of the city.
The tower is the easternmost of the three towers on the city’s sea wall, demolished along with the other two towers in 1867. It connected the eastern with the sea wall of Thessaloniki and separated the Jewish quarter from the Muslim and Jewish cemeteries. It was built by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Great in 1535-1536.
It was used by the Ottoman Turks as a fortress and prison. In 1826, all janissaries-prisoners imprisoned in the tower were executed by order of Sultan Maxmud II. Due to the countless murders, tortures and executions, the tower is also known as the Red Tower or the Red Tower, a nickname known until the end of the 19th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, Thessaloniki was included in the boundaries of Greece. At that time, the tower was whitewashed as a symbol of purification and thus received its current name – the White Tower.
Additional Information
Services: Tickets for the White Tower
1st April – 31st October
General admission: 6 euros
Reduced: 3 euros
1st November – 31st March
general admission: 3 euros
Combined Ticket cost 15 euros and is valid for 3 days. It includes the Museum of Byzantine Culture, the Museum of the White Tower, the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki and the monument of the Rotunda. The ticket costs 15 euros and is valid for 3 days.
Maximum number of guests 70 people
For organized visits – schools, please contact +30 2310 267832
Opening time: Opening hours of the Museum of Byzantine Culture and the White Tower
Winter – from November 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023
08:30 – 15:30
Summer – from April 1, 2023 to October 31, 2023
08:00 – 20:00
OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS
The Museum is closed on:
25-26 December /1January / 25 March / Easter Sunday /1 May (official holidays of the Hellenic State).
Maps
Contact
More Information
- Accessibility: By car, public transport, motorbike, bicycle or walking. Parking for cars and motorbikes The closest parking site is located under the Municipality Building “City Hall ” parking station. There is a parking space for bicycles in front of the Museum entrance. Individuals with limited mobility can take a virtual tour of the Museum at information stations located on the ground floor.
