Heptapyrgion (Yedi Kule) Fortress

The Heptapyrgion, known in Turkish as Yedi Kule, is the fortress at the north-eastern corner of Ano Poli, Thessaloniki's historic upper town, at Eptapyrgiou 40 in Central Macedonia, Greece. The name means seven towers in Greek. It stands where the Byzantine city walls meet their eastern edge, on a site first fortified in the Roman and Byzantine periods and strengthened by the Ottomans, who added their own towers and buildings. In the late nineteenth century the Ottomans turned the interior into a prison, and it remained one until 1989, which is why the complex also carries a heavy modern history. Visitors enter through the gate and walk through stone courtyards, past the prison wings, cells, and the former prison buildings that have been conserved with information panels. Stairways lead to the ramparts and towers, where the walk along the wall gives wide views over the rooftops of Ano Poli, the gulf, and the whole sweep of the city below. The mixture of Byzantine masonry, Ottoman additions, and prison structures makes it one of the most layered monuments in Thessaloniki. A visit takes one to one and a half hours, longer for those who walk the full circuit of the walls. Morning is best in summer, when the courtyards are cool, and the site is closed on Tuesdays. Because the fortress is uphill from the centre, most visitors arrive by taxi, bus, or on foot through the lanes of Ano Poli, and there is parking at the fortress. It is usually quiet, and the views make it a favourite spot for photographers around sunset where opening hours allow. Sturdy shoes are advisable for the stone steps.