17. Hamza Bey Mosque (Alkazar)

To understand the Ottoman period of Thessaloniki’s history, you first need to appreciate its importance to the Ottomans… and indeed the other rulers of the city over the centuries. 

Thessaloniki has always been a key city in the region due to its strategic location and port. In fact, during the long history of the Byzantine Empire, it was the second-most important city after Constantinople and was a gateway for Byzantium’s ideological, cultural and religious influences into the Balkans. 

But in the early 14th century – even before the fall of Constantinople in 1453 – the first Ottoman incursions into northern Greece had begun. Thessaloniki was a key target, as its capture would cement Ottoman authority in the Balkans.

The first significant Ottoman siege took place in 1383 and lasted four years. It left Thessaloniki’s inhabitants suffering from famine and disease and the Byzantine administration struggling to provide assistance. The city finally surrendered in 1387, marking the beginning of the first period of Ottoman rule. It was a relatively short-lived occupation. In 1402, due to other conflicts and internal crises for the Ottomans, Thessaloniki returned to Byzantine control. 

But Ottoman ambitions were not diminished. In 1422, Sultan Murad II launched the second major siege, which lasted nine years. Unable to withstand the sustained Ottoman threat, the Byzantines turned to the Venetians, who assumed control of the city’s defence and administration. As it turned out, Venetian rule proved ineffective, as it focused mainly on the economic exploitation of Thessaloniki. 

On 29 March 1430, Murad II launched his final assault and, after three days of intense fighting and despite fierce resistance, Thessaloniki fell. A three-day looting spree followed, during which many buildings and monuments were destroyed, including the Church of Saint Demetrius. Thousands of residents were captured and sold into slavery. Murad II entered the city triumphantly and converted the Church of Panagia Acheiropoietos into a mosque. He then attempted to restore order and repopulate the city, buying back many captives.

This marked the beginning of almost 500 years of Ottoman rule in Thessaloniki, which lasted until its liberation in 1912 and its integration into the newly established Greek state. 

Remnants of this period are visible today in the form of monuments that visually capture the Ottomans’ legacy.

At the intersection of Egnatia and Eleftheriou Venizelou streets, you’ll find one of Thessaloniki's most distinctive Ottoman monuments, the Hamza Bey Mosque, also known as Alkazar. 

The Alkazar's history dates to around 1467, when Hafsa Hatun built it in memory of her father, Hamza Bey, a prominent Ottoman military commander. It is the oldest Ottoman mosque in Thessaloniki and is considered the largest surviving mosque on Greek soil. It served Thessaloniki’s Muslim community as a place of worship for over 450 years. Historically, it is also linked to a nearby Ottoman bathhouse in Thessaloniki, the Bey Hamam, which provided ritual purification for worshippers before visiting the mosque.

Architecturally, the Alkazar is an impressive example of Ottoman architecture. The central prayer hall has a square layout, with sides of 11 metres and a height of 17 metres, covered by a large lead-covered dome. Its most distinctive feature is its peristyle courtyard, which is also found in the mosques of Constantinople.

Over the centuries, the building underwent many modifications, but even after Thessaloniki’s liberation from Ottoman rule, it continued to serve as a place of worship until 1925. It then passed into private hands and was used as a cinema for nearly 50 years. 

In 2006, it was handed over to the Ministry of Culture and has been revitalised as a historical landmark, reflecting Thessaloniki’s journey from the Ottoman period to modern times.