Ottoman Thessaloniki on foot
Four monuments spanning five centuries, all within a kilometre.
Distance
1.1 km
Duration
100 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Best time
Morning or early afternoon
Five centuries of Ottoman history do not fit into one walk, but the four most important monuments in the centre all sit within a kilometre.
The route is short and easy. The difficulty is not the distance; it is that you need to know what you are looking at, because most of these buildings have changed use two or three times.
The numbered stops in route order. Tap a point for more.
The stops
- 1
Bey Hamam
The city's first Ottoman bath, from 1444, and the largest surviving in Greece. It worked as a bath until 1968.
- 2
Bezesteni
A 15th-century covered market for the cloth trade, still trading.
- 3
Hamza Bey Mosque (Alcazar)
Among the city's oldest Ottoman mosques. Locals know it as the "Alcazar", after the cinema that occupied it.
- 4
Alatza Imaret
Founded in February 1484 by Ishak Pasha as an imaret, with a kitchen for the poor and a hostel.
- 5
Rotunda
Roman building, then church, then mosque. Its minaret is the only one surviving in Thessaloniki.
Practical notes
- One hour walking, two with stops.
- Several monuments open only for exhibitions. Check official announcements before you go.
- The Bezesteni works as a market, so it follows shop hours.
- The route is flat and runs along central streets.
If you want to continue
The house where Mustafa Kemal was born is a museum beside the Turkish consulate. It requires an ID card or passport and security is strict. It is not on the route because it needs separate planning.
For context, see the page on Ottoman Thessaloniki.