Acropolis walls #1380

Description

The name "Eptapyrgion" in Greek translates to "seven towers," but despite the name, the fortress actually has ten towers.

Eptapyrgion is positioned at the northeastern part of Thessaloniki's acropolis. Although the city's core dates back to its founding by Cassander in 316 BC, the walls that marked the medieval and early modern city—still visible today—were built during late Antiquity. These fortifications were constructed when Roman Emperor Theodosius I (r. 379-395) reinforced the city's defenses. The five northern towers of the Eptapyrgion, along with the connecting curtain wall that form the northern corner of the acropolis, likely date from this period.

The five southern towers and their corresponding wall were probably built in the 12th century, creating a fortified redoubt within the city’s citadel. The fortress underwent maintenance and reconstruction during the Palaiologan period in the 14th century.

In 1430, the castle, along with the rest of Thessaloniki, fell to the Ottomans.

In the 1890s, the fortress was repurposed as a prison. This conversion involved the removal of all previous buildings inside the fort, leaving no traces of them today. However, the fortifications themselves underwent minimal changes during this time.