During the reign of Roman Emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD), he made several journeys across different regions of the empire and initiated major construction projects in the areas he visited. In his first journey to the East, in 123/4 AD, he transformed Edirne, which was a small marketplace at the time, into a city. He surrounded the city with walls in a near-square plan and turned it into an important Roman military camp (castrum). The city, named Hadrianopolis in honor of the Emperor, became the capital of Haemimontus, one of the six provinces of the Thracian region, during the reign of Emperor Diocletian (284-305 AD). Edirne, which experienced nearly five centuries of peace under Ottoman rule, began to suffer invasions starting from the 19th century, and during this period, the Edirne Castle walls could not be preserved.
During the Byzantine and Ottoman periods, various repairs and additions were made, and until the 19th century, the tower was maintained. In 1884-1885, a wooden clock tower was built on top of it by the Governor of Edirne, Hacı İzzet Pasha.
Three inscriptions from the Byzantine and Ottoman periods have survived from Edirne Castle. A Byzantine inscription made of brick, which covers the upper part of the Macedonia Tower, and an inscription from the Ottoman period, marking repairs to the tower, can be found on its façade. The inscription on the castle's repair and restoration, which was damaged during attacks, can also be found on the tower's brickwork.
The Macedonia Tower was also used as a fire tower. Excavations carried out by the Edirne Museum Directorate in 2002-2003 and in 2024 have uncovered important traces from the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods in the archaeological area around the Clock Tower, which is the most significant remaining part of the ancient city of Edirne. These findings include parts of the walls, a cold storage room, a chapel, and ovens, shedding light on the city's rich historical layers.
