WHITE TOWER OF THESSALONIKI, a photo from Thessaloniki, Macedonia

Photographer's Note

The White Tower of Thessaloniki (Greek: Λευκός Πύργος Lefkos Pyrgos), is a monument and museum on the waterfront of the city of Thessaloniki, capital of the region of Macedonia in northern Greece and a symbol of Greek sovereignty over Macedonia. The present tower replaced an old Byzantine fortification which was mentioned around the 12th century and reconstructed by the Ottomans to fortify the city's harbour; it became a notorious prison and scene of mass executions during the period of Ottoman rule. It was substantially remodeled and its exterior was whitewashed after Greece gained control of the city in 1912. It has been adopted as the symbol of the city.
he tower, which once guarded the eastern end of the city's sea walls, was for many years attributed to Venice, to which the Byzantines ceded Thessaloniki in 1423. It is now known definitely that the tower was constructed by the Ottomans some time after the army of Sultan Murad II captured Thessaloniki in 1430. Until 1912, an inscription in Ottoman Turkish verse above the door dated the structure to AH 942 (1535–1536). The historian Franz Babinger speculated that the work was designed by the great Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, who is known to have built fortifications, including a similar tower at the Albanian port Valona in 1537. The present tower likely replaced an older Byzantine tower mentioned by the 12th century archbishop Eustathios during the sack of 1185.[3]
The Tower was used by the Ottomans successively as a fort, garrison and a prison. In 1826, at the order of the Sultan Mahmud II, there was a massacre of the prisoners in the Tower. Owing to the "countless victims of Ottoman torturers and executioners", the tower acquired the name "Tower of Blood" or "Red Tower" (Turkish: Kanli Kule), which it kept until the end of the 19th century.
The Tower was for centuries part of the walls of the old city of Thessaloniki, and separated the Jewish quarter of the city from the cemeteries of the Muslims and Jews. The city walls were demolished in 1866. When Thessaloniki was annexed from the Ottoman Empire to the Hellenic State in 1912 during the First Balkan War, the tower was whitewashed as a symbolic gesture of cleansing, and acquired its present name. King George I of Greece was assassinated not far from the White Tower in March 1913.
The Tower is now a buff colour but has retained the name White Tower. It now stands on Thessaloniki's waterfront boulevard, Nikis (Victory) Street. It houses a museum dedicated to the history of Thessaloniki and is one of the city's leading tourist attractions. The Tower is under the administration of the Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities of the Greek Ministry of Culture.

papagolf21, raszid62, danos, ikeharel, Didi, Sonata11, serp2000, pajaran, bayno, ourania, abmdsudi, Angshu, Highmountains, Highmountains, elenimavrandoni has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

papagolf21 (76611) 2012-10-18 1:48

Bonjour, chère Maria,
Ce vestige est impressionnant de force et de beauté, il ressort magnifiquement sur cette place. De plus, la végétation environnante magnifie l'ensemble.
La tour semble imprenable par le temps et les âges.
Amitiés.
Philippe

ciakgiak (30331) 2012-10-18 2:27

Ciao Maria,
foto di grande qualità, molto bello il soggetto, perfetta la luce che ravviva e fa splendere i colori.
Complimenti, TFS.
Un caro saluto
Giorgio

Thanoslim (310) 2012-10-18 3:16

Πολύ όμορφη λήψη Μαρία και πολύ ζωντανά χρώματα. Νοιώθω σαν να είμαι εκεί. Μια μπουγάτσα με τυρί παρακαλώ!!!

Φιλικά
Θάνος

raszid62 (18216) 2012-10-18 3:50

Καλημέρα.
Καταπληκτική αρχιτεκτονική Αντίθετα, στο προσκήνιο ένα αρχαίο μεσαιωνικό πύργο στο παρασκήνιο από τα μεγάλα σύγχρονα κτίρια, σύγχρονη πόλη. Γύρω από τον πύργο, δέντρα, εμφανίζονται σαν πράσινο σερπεντίνη. Υπέροχα χρώματα και εξαιρετική ευκρίνεια.
Δικός σου.
Joseph

dkmurphys (36857) 2012-10-18 3:57

Hi Maria,
Very fine capture of that city landmark. I like the angle and the natural colors. Well seen!

Daniel

cornejo (18130) 2012-10-18 5:00

Hello Maria, very nice and interesting picture of this ancient tower. Very interesting picture, well composed and performed with good sharpness, nice color and light, interesting and good note too. Very good and interesting job perfectly done, congratulations my friend. Tfs.

Good afternoon and happy weekend.
Best regards and best wishes.
Angel.

danos (74064) 2012-10-18 5:30

Μαρία γεια σου,
πολύ όμορφη και η εντυπωσιακή η παρουσίαση του Λευκού Πύργου κάτω από αυτό τον γαλανό ουρανοό της συμπροτεύουσας.
Μου αρέσει το κοντραστ των χρωμάτων όπως και εξαιρετική ποιότητα της φωτογραφίας σου.

Καλο απόγευμα,Δάνος

Sergiom (39336) 2012-10-18 5:52

Bonjour Maria,

Un cadrage très classique mais très efficace. La tour semble bien recevoir la lumière qui en fait ressortir les détails. Le ciel est magnifique.

Amicalement

Serge

ikeharel (37424) 2012-10-18 9:57

Kalispera Maria,
The impressive monument in Thessaloniki, mighty and notable on the waterfront area, collected in full here, with fine light and clarity.
My wife hagit was there almost two years ago, and made number of photos about ( like a "book") - So i am familiar with it.
Much history enfolded, mentioned in your interesting note.
Best regards,
Ike

Didi (48938) 2012-10-18 11:19

Hi Maria
Nice point of view on this big tower surounded by trees.
Good lights in the winter
Best regards

siudzi (23959) 2012-10-18 14:09

Hi Maria,
A nice presentation of this interesting architecture. Well seen and taken with good symmetry in composition. Great exposure and sharpness received. Well done.

Best,
Malgorzata

carlo62 (12666) 2012-10-18 16:14

Ciao Maria
bella torre, sembra simile a quella di Viareggio in versione cilindrica anzichè quadrata.
Una fortificazione imponente che si erge verso lo splendido cielo.
Saluti
Carlo

Sonata11 (28391) 2012-10-18 16:38

Hello Maria,
this ancient tower you captured is very beautiful and attractive. Wonderful POV and DOF too. I love the tree around which they makes more beautiful picture aganst spectacular blue sky. Thank for sharing. Perfectly well doe. Love it.
All the best,
Barbara

serp2000 (29242) 2012-10-19 9:09

Hi, Maria,
Now I can say this is very familiar tower for me. Good close up, fine details, attractive colours and very informative note. I miss this city...
Serghei

pajaran (36282) 2012-10-19 13:58

Dobro vece.
Vrlo interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Lep pogled na staru kulu ...
Dobra ostrina i kontrast, lepe boje.
Dobra kompozicija, lep kula.
Prijatno vece i sve najbolje za vikend.
Srecno.
Paja.

Good evening.
Very interesting and good text ...
A nice view of the old tower ...
Good sharpness and contrast, beautiful color.
Good composition, beautiful towers.
Good evening and all the best for the weekend.
Good luck.
Paja.

bayno (16241) 2012-10-20 5:11

Ciao Maria,
beautiful tower but even more beautiful is the sky, light strong and well-managed, good framing and sharp, beautiful colors...
have a nice WE...
Valter

ourania (12469) 2012-10-20 8:21

Καλησπέρα Μαρία,
θαυμάσια παρουσίαση του Λευκού Πύργου. Ένα υπέροχο και συμβολικό κτήριο που ακόμη δεν έχω δει από κοντά. Μου αρέσει πάρα πολύ η οπτική σου γωνία και ο τρόπος που τον τοποθέτησες στο κέντρο του κάδρου αφήνοντας τα δέντρα να "σπάσουν" τη συμμετρία. Εξαιρετική η ευκρίνεια και ο φωτισμός. Τα χρώματα έχουν πολύ ευχάριστη ένταση, είναι πανέμορφα και λάμπουν. Οι αντιθέσεις αποδόθηκαν σε όλο τους το μεγαλείο. Συγχαρητήρια και ευχαριστώ!
Να είσαι καλά, καλό Σαββατοκύριακο,
Ουρανία

COSTANTINO (42746) 2012-10-20 14:26

Hello
greetings for your useful notes about this
tower because a lot of people visited
the white tower but a feaw people
know informationabout its history
nice postcard from Thessaloniki
nice pov
regards
Costantino

kordinator (13411) 2012-10-21 1:22

Hello Maria
Very good informative text of the White Tower.
Nice place and amazing architecture.
Fine details,lovely colors.
Very nice composition.
Warm regards
Saša

BenKovski (1075) 2012-10-21 2:09

Very well done, Maria!
I love the contrast between the tower and the modern buildings in the background under the blue sky. The perspective doesn't give the tower justice, for it is one impressive structure! I would use more distant POV and higher focal length lens combined with tighter crop. But nonetheless, good job. Congrats!
Ben

Cricri (86535) 2012-10-21 10:11

Hi Maria
Impressionnante tour et intéressante architecture, les arbres semble danser autour d'elle, un fond bleu qui la met bien en valeur, belle réalisation
Belle soirée
cricri

abmdsudi (26311) 2012-10-22 9:29

Hi Maria
Your well written notes make us appreciate this image better, impressive looking ancient cylindrical tower. Good presentation clearly defined in rich colors, textures and superb contrast. It's so well exposed in brilliant clarity, sharpness and lively blue sky. Fine shot, Congrats.
Kind regards

Silvio1953 (98259) 2012-10-22 13:35

Ciao Maria, great POV on fantastic tower, lovely composition with beutiful trees, excellent clarity, splendid light and colors, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

siamesa (27449) 2012-10-22 16:02

Boa noite Maria

Spectacular point of view . This tower is impressive and your photo is superb. Congratulations.
Abraços
maria

Angshu (51174) 2012-10-22 21:31

Hello Maria
The fine old building of teh White Towers stands as a good contrast against the surrounding modern houses. The clear blue sky provides fine colour contrast which makes this picture so very attractuve. Well done!
Regards
Angshu

Highmountains (1834) 2012-10-24 8:01

There is brightness and clarity in the image of the tower. However - what is most attractive are the trees surrounding the tower. Their heights are such that they seem to follow a pattern of a wave. The green of the trees are a sharp contrast to the brown of the tower. This, along with the blue backdrop gives the photograph its appeal.
Thanks for sharing.

jmdias (45830) 2012-10-29 6:47

maria

I liked the lower pov and the angle showing the beautiful tower between these trees. nice light, framing and sharpnes. TFS.

hugs

jorge

elenimavrandoni (5803) 2012-11-05 12:11

Ο χαρακτηριστικός Πύργος μας σε μια αποθεωτική φωτογραφία!

Miguel82 (7882) 2013-03-15 12:00

An exhaustive note about that tower
At the first sight I thought it was a mill
Vivid colors, good framing and nice colors
Regards