Roman-era Macedonia Tower reopens as museum in Türkiye

The Macedonian Tower, one of the best-known landmarks in the northwestern Turkish city of Edirne, has reopened as a museum after nearly four years of restoration and archaeological excavation.

The 48-meter (157-foot) tower was commissioned by Roman Emperor Hadrian during his reign from A.D. 117 to 138 and is the only surviving section of the ancient walls that once surrounded the city. In 1867, Ottoman Governor Hacı Izzet Pasha added wooden upper levels and a clock, and the structure served as a clock tower for decades.

Restoration work, launched by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in December 2021, was carried out alongside archaeological excavations around the site. The surrounding grounds, where Roman and Byzantine remains were uncovered, have been converted into an archaeological park, while the tower itself has been transformed into the Edirne Macedonian Tower Museum.

The museum displays 76 artifacts recovered from inside the tower and the nearby Kaleiçi district, along with more than 100 archaeological objects exhibited throughout the site, including pieces preserved in their original locations. The collection reflects the site’s history through the Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Republican periods.

According to the Edirne Governor’s Office, the museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., with free admission through July 13, 2026.

In addition to exhibition galleries, the complex includes an archaeological park and an observation terrace. Visitors can also see Roman ceramic kilns, a Byzantine chapel and an Ottoman-era icehouse, according to the governor’s office.