Aktualisiert 2026·Zu Fuß geprüft·At the highest point of the Ano Poli citadel
The 'Fortress of Seven Towers' — which despite its name has ten — crowns the acropolis of Thessaloniki, a walled citadel that guarded the city's highest ground before spending nearly a century, from the 1890s to 1989, as its most feared prison. It held political prisoners through the turbulent 20th century and lives on in old rebetiko songs by its Ottoman name, Yedi Kule.
Heptapyrgion · Byzantine / Ottoman
Epoche
Byzantine / Ottoman
Lage
Top of Ano Poli, ~25 min uphill
Eintritt
Free grounds; small fee (~€3) for the interior prison exhibition
Öffnungszeiten
Daily except Tuesday, 08:30–15:30 (closed Tue)
Benötigte Zeit
45 minutes
Bewertung
4.6★ · 7,531 Bewertungen
Öffnungszeiten und Preise zuletzt 2026 geprüft — sie ändern sich, also am Tag bestätigen.
Geschichte
Wie es entstand
The fortress combines Byzantine towers with later Ottoman additions; its Greek and Turkish names both mean 'seven towers'. From the 1890s until 1989 it served as a prison — a chapter remembered in rebetiko songs — before being restored as a monument.
Was Sie Sehen
Bei einem Besuch
The gatehouse with its Ottoman inscription, the courtyard and towers, and sweeping views down over the whole city to the gulf.
Wie man Besucht
A steep walk up through Ano Poli, or a city bus to the upper town followed by a short climb.
Beste Zeit
Morning, before the midday heat on the exposed hilltop
Galerie
Anfahrt
Lage
Top of Ano Poli, ~25 min uphill · At the highest point of the Ano Poli citadel
