Heptapyrgion

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View of the Heptapyrgion

The Heptapyrgion ( ancient Greek Ἑπταπύργιον 'seven towers', modern Greek Επταπύργιο Eptapyrgio , Turkish Yedi Kule ) in Thessaloniki is a fortress in the Byzantine and Ottoman citadel in the northeastern part of the Acropolis . It was the seat of the garrison of the Ottoman Empire until the end of the 19th century.

history

Ottoman inscription above the gate
Main gate of Yedi Kule with Turkish soldiers

The five northern towers of the Heptapyrgion with the connecting curtain probably date from the time of Emperor Theodosius I (4th century), according to another opinion, only from the 9th century. The towers in the south, on the other hand, may not have been built until the 12th century. During the time of the paleologists , the complex was renewed, also immediately after the Turkish conquest of the city in 1431 under Çavuş Bey, the first Ottoman governor. Recent research assumes that the fortress of the seven towers was only built shortly after the Ottoman conquest, including the existing city wall. Accordingly, the fortress in Thessaloniki formed the model for the Yedikule fortress of the same name, built two decades later after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople . Another restoration took place in 1646. From the 19th century until 1989 it was used as a prison, during the time of the Metaxas government , the German occupation in World War II , the civil war and the rule of the colonels, also for political prisoners. It was damaged by the 1978 earthquake. Since 1990 it has been used by institutes of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Cornell University and other institutions.

investment

The polygonal fortress was built into the northeast corner of the Acropolis . The southern section of the wall is almost semicircular. The curtains have battlements and battlements. The south side of the gate tower is adorned with walled-in sculptures from the Byzantine period. The towers were named Fener Kulesi, Makaslı Kule, Su Kulesi, Cephane Kulesi, Hapishane Kulesi, Kız Kulesi and Zahire Ambar Kulesi, the bastions were named Hisar Peçe, Kanlı Burgaz and Çingene Tabyalar.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ cf. K. Kourkoutidou-Nikolaïdou / A. Tourta: Walks through Byzantine Thessaloniki. Athens 1997: Editions Kapon, pp. 25–26. ISBN 960-7254-48-1
  2. ^ Heath W. Lowry: Chapter III: Selânik's (Thessaloniki's) Fortress of the Seven Towers: What it Tells Us About the Post-Conquest History of the City. In: Ders .: The Shaping of the Ottoman Balkans, 1350–1500. The Conquest, Settlement & Infrastructural Development of Northern Greece. Istanbul 2010, pp. 107-138, ISBN 978-975-6437-78-0 .

literature

  • Heath W. Lowry: Chapter III: Selânik's (Thessaloniki's) Fortress of the Seven Towers: What it Tells Us About the Post-Conquest History of the City. In: Ders .: The Shaping of the Ottoman Balkans, 1350–1500. The Conquest, Settlement & Infrastructural Development of Northern Greece. Istanbul 2010, pp. 107-138.
  • E. Tsanana et al. a. The Eptapyrgion, the citadel of Thessaloniki , 9th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities (Thessaloniki), Ministry of Culture 2001 (English).
  • Sl. Ćurčić / Ev. Hatzitryphonos, Κοσμική Μεσαιωνική Αρχιτεκτονική στα Βαλκάνια 1300-1500 και η Διατήρησή της , University Studio Press, Thessalonique, 1999, pp. 192-195.

Web links

Commons : Heptapyrgion  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 40 ° 38 ′ 30 ″  N , 22 ° 57 ′ 45 ″  E