Κρήνη του Σεϊχη στον Κέδρηνο Λόφο | The Şeyh Fountain on Kedrinos Hill

The Şeyh Fountain on Kedrinos Hill

A remarkable number of elegant and finely crafted fountains of various sizes and forms are scattered throughout the districts of the Upper Town (Ano Poli), Agios Pavlos, and Sykies. Most of them were constructed during the Ottoman period, although some have Byzantine origins. Because water held both practical and religious significance in Islamic tradition, the Ottomans placed great importance on restoring, maintaining, and reusing older Byzantine water structures.

The fountain you see here, known as the Fountain of Kedrinos Hill, together with the small Ottoman fountain located a short distance to the north, formed a single historical complex and constituted important elements of Thessaloniki’s cultural heritage. According to Vakalopoulos, the monument was a small structure whose four sides terminated in pointed arches. A small dome rested on these arches; however, it is no longer visible today, as the structure has been enclosed on three sides and its roof has been covered and leveled. At the center of what was once a vaulted tomb, a Roman marble sarcophagus survives in good condition, bearing a Greek inscription on its long northern side. In the past, water from the spring flowed into this sarcophagus, and passersby could drink from its spout.

The Şeyh Fountain on Kedrinos Hill

Vakalopoulos argues that this structure was in fact the fountain-tomb of a Muslim saint. His view is supported by a Turkish inscription on the monument’s façade, above the double-curved brick arch in the Islamic style. The surviving inscription indicates that the Fountain of Kedrinos Hill dates to 1759–1760, a period during which the local water supply had been interrupted. An Ottoman official named Ali Mehmet undertook the restoration of the spring and the reconstruction of the fountain, allowing it to resume operation. This evidence demonstrates that the monument remained in active use throughout the Ottoman period and played an important role in the daily life of the local community.

Vakalopoulos further suggests that an earlier Byzantine religious structure—possibly a small monastery or shrine—once occupied the same site before the construction of the Ottoman monument. This hypothesis is plausible, as it was common practice for new places of worship to be established on the sites of earlier sacred buildings, preserving the spiritual importance of the location across successive historical periods. In the early 20th century, a tall vaulted structure stood in front of the blind arched niche. Its masonry resembles that of Byzantine monuments in Thessaloniki; however, it is generally accepted that it was constructed during a later period. This structure originally featured a niche on each of its lateral sides. Today, only the southern niche survives, while the arched entrance leading to the interior of the tomb has collapsed.

The Şeyh Fountain on Kedrinos Hill

The monument was not merely symbolic or religious in function; it also served the practical needs of local residents and travelers passing through the area. Public fountains were found throughout every neighbourhood of Ottoman Thessaloniki, particularly near mosques (camii), but also in the vicinity of monasteries and other religious complexes. Besides providing drinking water, they served as important social gathering places where residents met and interacted. At the same time, they could become sites of tension, as large numbers of people often gathered to collect the water needed for their households. Larger fountains were incorporated into the city’s public water distribution system, while smaller ones typically consisted of a single spout and one or more stone basins that supplied both pedestrians and animals. Their water was conveyed either through underground aqueducts or directly from nearby springs. Thessaloniki’s water supply relied primarily on the springs of Hortiatis, Retziki (Pefka), and Stavroupoli, which provided the city with clean drinking water. The construction and maintenance of public fountains were the responsibility of the municipal authorities of the period. Their cost was covered either by the public treasury, charitable foundations (vakıfs), community organizations, or wealthy private benefactors. Since the construction of fountains was regarded as an act of charity benefiting the public, sponsoring such monuments also brought considerable social prestige. For this reason, benefactors often invested in high-quality architectural decoration and ensured that their names were commemorated through dedicatory inscriptions.

An interesting aspect of this monument is its lasting influence on the city’s toponymy. The adjacent tomb and fountain became such a well-known landmark that they eventually gave their name to the surrounding area. The name Seich Sou, still used today for Thessaloniki’s large suburban forest, derives from the Turkish expression meaning “the Sheikh’s Water” or “the Sheikh’s Fountain.” Thus, a relatively modest monument left a lasting imprint not only on the city’s history but also on its collective memory and geographical identity.

*The name Kedrinos Hill was proposed by the poet G. Vafopoulos as part of an effort to replace the forest’s former Turkish name.