Thessaloniki, Verra, Vergina & Kalambaka
We left Thessaloniki one last time this morning, so our guide took the opportunity to stop at the White Tower on our way out of town. Our first stop was the town of Veria to say Mass at the Bema of St. Paul. It is believed Paul preached the Gospel to the Veroeans in 49 AD. We continued on to Vergina (ancient Aegae) to visit the Royal Tomb of King Phillip II, the father of Alexander the Great. We ended the day in Kalambaka, where we would stay for one night. |
Currently a museum, the White Tower served as a fortification during the Byzantine era and Ottoman Empire. The tower became a notorious prison and scene of mass executions under Ottoman rule. In 1912, Greece took again into custody the city of Thessaloniki and the White Tower was substantially remodeled and its exterior was whitewashed. White Tower has been adopted as the symbol of the city.