Ano Poli
Thessaloniki, Greece
About Ano Poli
Perched around the Acropolis in the north of Thessaloniki, Ano Poli (Old Town or Upper Town) is the only historic neighbourhood that survived the Great Fire of 1917. It boasts an old-time charm, with its old mansions and houses, stone-paved alleys and streets and superb vistas over the city and gulf.
Byzantine Walls of Thessaloniki
The Byzantine walls lead to the hills and connect the Acropolis with the Heptapyrgion Fortress. The walls were built in the 15th century in defense of the Ottoman attack. Along the high walls, there are several large gates to enter the old town. In the eastern part of the wall, there is an entrance leading to the tower of Trigonion that overlooks the city and admires the majestic Mount Olympus, towering the horizon line on clear days.
Ano Poli
Ana Poli is home to many of Thessaloniki’s paleo-Christian and Byzantine churches listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the 5th century Church of Osios David and the 14th century Vlatadon Monastery. It is filled with a lot of greenery, landscaped lawns, old taverns, little cafes and souvenir shops.
Interesting Facts
- The fortress is also known as Eptapyrgio and Yedi Kule, all of which mean “Fortress of Seven Towers”, though the fortress has ten towers. It was ever used as a garrison and a prison tainted with torture and brutal executions.
- During the Ottoman rule, Ano Poli was predominantly inhabited by the Turks while the Greeks, western Europeans, and Jews resided in the lower part of the city, around the port.
- The preserved part of the Byzantine walls stands about 4km long and are up to 12m high and 4.5m wide.
