The Acropolis of Athens, a citadel perched above the ancient city, has stood as a testament to the architectural and cultural prowess of classical Greece. Yet, not all the structures that once adorned its rocky perch were of ancient Greek origin. The composite image above highlights the location of a structure known as the Frankish Tower, a medieval addition built by the Franks, marking the periods of crusades and conquests that swept over Athens.
Constructed upon the pilaster of the Propylae's south wing, the tower was a symbol of Frankish authority following the crusades. Athens, a city with a history that captivated conquerors as much as historians, found itself under Frankish control before eventually succumbing to the Ottoman Empire. Under the Ottomans, the tower was repurposed as a salt warehouse and later, a site of imprisonment and torture—a dark chapter in the storied life of the Acropolis.
The two images—past and present—illustrate the stark transformation of this historic site. The top photograph, with the tower circled in red, shows the Acropolis with the Frankish Tower still intact, looming over the ruins with an imposing presence. Below, the present-day view reveals the area where the tower once stood, now cleared of the medieval structure, as part of a 19th-century initiative to restore the Acropolis to its classical appearance.
In 1874, the Frankish Tower was demolished, a move reflecting the era's burgeoning philosophy that ancient sites should be purged of later additions to return them to their 'original' splendor. This demolition was part of a wider strategy that sought to remove all post-classical constructions from the sacred rock of the Acropolis, an endeavor that has allowed the ancient Greek structures to take center stage once again.
The Frankish Tower's absence is a poignant reminder of the many layers of history that the Acropolis has witnessed. While the tower itself may be lost to time, the story of its rise and fall continues to be a fascinating footnote in the biography of one of the world's most iconic historical sites.
