Lightning Protection Shielding for Iconic Monuments of Thessaloniki

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The Ministry of Culture is moving forward with enhancing the protection of four iconic monuments of Thessaloniki, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, against lightning strikes and their consequences.

The project concerns the installation of lightning protection and surge protection systems at the Eptapyrgio fortress complex, the Tower of Alisios, the White Tower, and the Church of Saint Demetrios.

The Ministry of Culture advances the protection of four iconic monuments of Thessaloniki, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, against lightning strikes and their consequences, as part of its policy to maximize the safeguarding of archaeological sites and monuments from the extreme phenomena of the climate crisis.

The project involves the installation of lightning protection and surge protection systems at the Eptapyrgio fortress complex, the Tower of Alisios, the White Tower, and the Church of Saint Demetrios.

The Eptapyrgio Fortress Complex is located at the northern edge of Thessaloniki’s acropolis and consists of ten towers—both quadrilateral and triangular—as well as the curtain walls connecting them.

The Tower of Alisios, 25 meters in height, stands at the northeastern end of Thessaloniki's walls.

The White Tower is cylindrical, with a height of 34 meters. It has a ground floor and six upper levels—seven levels in total—which are connected by an internal staircase.

The Church of Saint Demetrios is a five-aisled basilica with a narthex and a transept, and includes the chapel of Saint Euthymios attached to its southeast corner.

Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni stated:

“The protection of our monumental heritage against the climate crisis is a priority for the Ministry of Culture and its services. This is why we are systematically working toward shielding it from the impacts of extreme weather events—an already present reality.

We are preparing management plans for the majority of the monuments inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, as well as for other sites of major significance. These plans include, among other things, preventive measures for the design and implementation of strategies to preserve and protect cultural assets in emergencies.

In this case, taking into account modern safety standards and with full respect for the authenticity and historical value of the monuments, we are reinforcing four emblematic monuments of Thessaloniki—Eptapyrgio, the Tower of Alisios, the White Tower, and the Church of Saint Demetrios—ensuring, to the extent possible, the protection of both the sites themselves and their visitors from lightning strikes.”

Eptapyrgio Fortress Complex

Since the 1890s, the fortress operated as an Ottoman prison and, after 1912, as a Greek prison. In 1989, it was transferred from the Ministry of Justice to the Ministry of Culture, along with the surrounding land. Between 1996 and 2023, conservation and restoration works were carried out on the monument.

Since 2019, the Eptapyrgio Festival has been hosted in two internal courtyards with designated visitor pathways.

In 2018 and again in 2024, extreme weather events caused surge damage and destruction of central electrical and electronic systems.

The lightning protection project addresses both the buildings and outdoor spaces of the fortress as a unified whole, given their functional interdependence. It covers 12 buildings, on both ground and upper floors, as well as two open-air areas.

Tower of Alisios

The interior of the Tower includes a total of eight main spaces: the entrance area, three embrasures (gunports), three auxiliary-use rooms, and the guardroom. The Tower is open to the public, and its rooftop is accessible.

Due to its considerable height relative to the urban landscape, the Tower is at increased risk of lightning strikes.

During severe weather in 2017, the tower’s electrical panel was destroyed.

White Tower

Each floor of the White Tower features a central circular hall, connected to smaller quadrilateral rooms.

The top floor has only the central hall and an open-air terrace (Level 6).

Above that, at Level 7, stands the Greek flag.

The tower is open to the public, and its rooftop is accessible.

Church of Saint Demetrios

Beneath the sanctuary and transept lies a crypt, which formed the eastern part of a Roman bath complex, associated with the imprisonment and martyrdom of Saint Demetrios.

During the Ottoman period, the crypt was buried and later rediscovered after the fire of 1917.

Since 1985, it has operated as an exhibition space.

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