Restoration work on the historic Hamza Bey (Alcazar) in Thessaloniki, a monument inextricably linked to the city’s history and enduring memory, which had been covered by scaffolding for nearly four decades. The project was funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility, with the Ministry of Culture fully honoring its commitment to complete the restoration and conservation work by August 31.

During the presentation of the restored monument, Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni expressed the great joy felt by all Ministry officials at the completion of the project, highlighting the significance of the monument’s return to the city: “Today is a day of special joy for all of us, but also a significant moment for the Ministry of Culture, which, with a sense of responsibility and commitment to our cultural heritage, is restoring to Thessaloniki a precious piece of its history— a restored and magnificent monument, just as the city deserves. With the completion of the restoration work, the Hamza Bey—known to most Thessalonians as the “Alcazar” —is finally free of the scaffolding that, for more than three decades, had been an integral part of its appearance and had become linked to the memories of two generations of residents and visitors to the city. It is a landmark inextricably linked to the enduring history of Thessaloniki, from its founding in the 15th century to more recent times, when it operated as a movie theater and became widely known as “Alcazar,” a name that remains alive in the collective memory of the people of Thessaloniki. For this specific project, we had a significant obligation to the Recovery and Resilience Facility and to the commitments we had made: to ensure that all work funded by its resources was completed by August 31. The Ministry of Culture remained fully committed to this obligation, demonstrating that proper planning, scientific expertise, and the dedication of its staff can bring even the most demanding restoration projects to fruition. An extremely complex and difficult project—particularly from a structural stability standpoint—was completed in approximately two years by the Directorate for the Restoration of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Monuments of the Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Directorate for the Conservation of Ancient and Modern Monuments and the Ephorate of Antiquities of the City of Thessaloniki.”

A New Life as an Exhibition Space

In the coming period, the monument is set to take on a new, active role in the contemporary cultural life of Thessaloniki. During its first years of operation, it will host exhibitions focusing on the city’s history, through a collaboration between the Thessaloniki City Archaeological Service and MOMus.

According to the schedule, the monument will be officially handed over to the people of Thessaloniki during the first ten days of October, coinciding with the first exhibition to be held at the site. The restoration of the Hamza Bey–Alcázar marks the return of an important historical landmark to the modern urban fabric of Thessaloniki and the creation of a new cultural space, open to the city and its residents.