Heptapyrgion Prison

The Heptapyrgion—also called Yedi Kule—stands at the northeastern edge of Thessaloniki’s upper city. Its name means “Seven Towers,” though the complex’s history is more layered than that label suggests. The fortress includes Byzantine and Ottoman phases, with walls and towers adapted over centuries as the city’s rulers and defensive needs changed. Its high position once commanded views over Thessaloniki and the approaches to the city.

In the nineteenth century, the complex was converted into a prison. Buildings and support spaces were added to accommodate a large institution inside the old fortifications. The prison remained in use until 1989, when it was transferred to the Ministry of Culture as a historic monument. The transition from fortress to prison altered the meaning of the walls: structures originally designed to defend a city became a place for confining people within it.