A note on the exact date of construction of the White Tower of Thessaloniki

Abstract

The author discusses the date of construction of the White Tower of Thessaloniki about which the opinions vary considerably. Data provided by Evlija Çelebi, who described the tower as an Ottoman-Turkish work of the time of Süleyman the Magnificent (1520-1566), as well as that of the Turkish inscription—no longer extant—which used to be above the gate of the tower help to the solution of the problem. A photograph of the inscription taken before 1912, bearing the date of 942 (12 July 1535-19 June 1536), along with Evlija Çelebis’ information; helps the author to establish the exact date of construction of the White Tower in 1535-36 and to prove that it was built by Sinan, who was appointed as Imperial architect of Süleyman a few years later.