Macedonian Tower

Macedonian Tower, locally known as Makedonya Kulesi, stands in the center of the city of Edirne, in the province of Edirne in Turkey.

The city of Edirne was founded by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD, at which time it was called Hadrianopolis. It also included a rectangular castrum. The city later became part of the Byzantine Empire, at which time it was called Adrianopolis. The Byzantines maintained the castle walls and probably added round towers on its 4 corners.

Being a much contested city, it was taken from the Byzantines several times; by Goths, crusading Franks and Bulgarians amongst others. Probably in 1369 the city was conquered by the Ottomans. Some years later the Ottomans made the city their capital and called it Edirne. The Macedonian Tower was used as a prison by the Ottoman rulers.

In 1884 a wooden tower of 4 stories was built on top of the tower to serve as a clock tower. After a fire this wooden structure was replaced by a stone structure of 4, stepped and square stories. This was then damaged during the 1953 Yenice-Gönen earthquake. It was not repaired because it was deemed unaesthetic in combination with the city's minarets. And thus it was destroyed with the use of dynamite that same year. Only the first story of the clock tower survived.

In recent decades the area directly next to the tower was excavated and revealed foundations of the Roman castrum wall and other antique structures. The tower together with these foundations are all that remains of what is now called Edirne Kalesi (Edirne Castle).

At present the Macedonian Tower is freely accessible. The excavated foundations are now a small, also freely accessible, archaeological park. It is however in a dilapidated state, so watch out for a band of dogs that seem to have made it their home. Still a mighty tower. There are plans to turn it into a small museum.

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