View on Thessaloniki from old city walls and Trigonoion (Chain) Tower
Trigonion or chain Tower and the city wall are located at the northeast corner of the city.
The construction of city walls begun by king Kassander during the Hellenistic period and took its present arrangement in the 3d-4th century A.D. However several parts were added and reconstructed during the Byzantine and Ottoman era.
The length was approximately 8000 meters of which 4300 have been preserved. It had an average of 10-12 meters height from the ground and it was built with stones, plinths and marble parts taken from the roman monuments of the city. A large part (on the eastern side) was demolished by the Ottoman authorities during 1873-1911 for expanding the city.
All of the city gates have been demolished with the exception of those of the northern side. Luckily, two towers very important for the fortification of the city, have been preserved.
The White Tower on the southeast and the Tower of Trigonion (or Alyseos) on the northeast. They were both built (or rebuilt) by Ottoman Turks.
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