Thessaloniki: Sights

Updated: 2004-06-28 15:54

Archaeological sites

The Acropolis, Heptapyrgi (Fortification Walls), Trigoniou Tower: in the Upper Town

Byzantine Castles: From Dimokratias square to the Heptapyrgi.

The Arch of Galerius (Kamara): Built to commemorate Galerius’ victory over the Persians in 297 A.D. The reliefs on the arch depict and extol the ideology of the Roman Emperors.

Palace of Galerius – Hippodrome: An imperial complex with the ruins of a luxurious octagonal building, used as the throne hall of the Roman emperor, in Platia Navarinou.

Rotunda: Circular building, near Kamara, erected in 300 A.D. by Galerius to serve as a Pantheon. Later it was converted into a Christian church and decorated with exquisite mosaics.

Roman Forum – Theatre: The ruins of an ancient forum built in the 2nd and 3rd century A.D., in Platia Dikastirion, at the end of Aristotelous street.

Museums in Thessaloniki

Archeological Museum: Sculptures from the Archaic, Classical and Roman eras. Also housed in the museum are the unique finds from Vergina. In the centre, close to the White Tower, 6 M. Andronikou street, tel. 2310-831037.

Byzantine Culture: The museum was finished in 1993 and houses exhibits of the early-Christian and Byzantine periods. 2 Leoforos Stratou, tel. 2310-868570-4.

White Tower: The History and art of Byzantine Thessaloniki from 300 to 1430 A.D. Built in 1536 this monument is the symbol of Thessaloniki.

Folklore and Ethnological Museum of Macedonia and Thrace: Costumes and objects used in the everday life and culture of the Greeks in the last 250 years. 68 Vas.Olgas, tel. 2310-812343

Macedonian Struggle: Exhibits from the National Popular Resistance 1878-1912. 23, Proxenou Koromila, tel. 2310-229778.

Macedonian Centre for Contemporary Art: Houses temporary exhibitions for the Cultural Olympiad. Inside the International Fair Ground. Tel. 2310-240002.

Cinema and Photo Museum: In the renovated buildings in the Thessaloniki Port Authority.

Crypt Museum of Aghios Dimitrios: In a church catacomb, where St. Dimitrios was imprisoned, tortured and buried.

Technical Museum of Thessaloniki: Industrial district of Sindou, ETVA Bank, tel. 2310-799773

Museum of Ancient, Byzantine and post-Byzantine Musical Instruments: 12, Katouni street, tel. 2310-555263

Macedonian Musical Museum: 10, Al. Svolou street, tel. 2310-226170

Museum of the Course of Jewish History in Thessaloniki: 26, Vas. Irakleiou, tel. 2310-250406

Prehistoric Antiquities Museum: former Kodra barracks, Kalamaria, tel. 2310-830538

Art Gallery of the Society for Macedonian Studies: 1, Nicolaou Germanou, tel. 2310-238601

Municipal Art Gallery: 164, Vas.Olgas, tel. 2310-425531

Thessaloniki History Centre: Billi Building, Plateia Hippodromiou, tel. 2310-264668

Cultural Centre of Northern Greece – National Bank of Greece: Built at the end of the 19th century, it housed the 5th Gymnasium after the War. Address: 108, Vas. Olgas, tel. 2310-834404 and 295149

Tellogleio Foundation: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, tel. 2310-280009

Byzantine and post-Byzantine Churches

The most significant Byzantine monuments are churches with superb mosaics and frescoes, representative of the Byzantine art periods. These monuments are well preserved and enhance the city’s image.

The most significant are:

Church of Ossios David: 5th century A.D., chapel in the Latomos Monastery, with a splendid mosaic in the sanctuary’s recess portraying ‘the vision of Ezekiel’ (Upper Town).

Church of Aghios Dimitrios, Patron Saint of Thessaloniki: The large basilica church was built in the 5th century over the ruins of the Roman baths, where the Saint died after being tortured in 303 A.D. It was burned down several times, the last time being 1917, but many mosaics, frescoes and architectural features from the 5th until the 15th century have been preserved. It was restored in 1948 based on the original plans. It continues to be an important symbol for the inhabitants of the city.

Church of Aghia Sophia: A 7th century church representing the transition from the domed basilica to the cross-in-square nucleus covered by a dome. It is a copy of the original St. Sophia Church in Istanbul.

The Aheiropoetos Church: 8th century, three-aisled Basilica with traces of frescoes.

Panaghia Chalkeon: Cross-in-square church with dome dating to the 11th century, close to Plateia Dikastirion on Egnatia Street, an area of traditional copper workshops dating to the Roman times.

Aghia Ekaterini: A 13th century church, with a beautifully preserved exterior and some fragments of frescoes, in a side street at the start of Olympiados Street.

Vlatadon Monastery: Built in the 14th century, it overlooks the Upper Town.

Aghioi Apostoloi: A 14th century church with a well preserved richly decorated faηade and interior, of the Palaiologos era. At the beginning of Aghiou Dimitriou street.

Aghios Nikolaos Orfanos: 14th century, with superb 17th century frescoes. Later became a monastic church of the Vlatadon Monastery.

Profitis Ilias: Built in 1360 A.D. by the monk Makarios Houmnos on the foundations of a Byzantine palace.

Aghios Panteleimonas: A 14th century church, with a very well preserved exterior, close to Kamara.

The post-Byzantine era left a large number of churches in Thessaloniki.

Large sections of the city Walls, built at the time of Theodosius the Great to protect Thessaloniki, still stand today and encircle the old medieval city starting from Plateia Dimokratias (Vardariou), past the Heptapyrgi and ending at the White Tower, built during the first half of the 16th century as one of the main bastions.

The modern Thessaloniki of material and cultural progress came into existence when the city was liberated in 1912 and became the capital of the North.

Many important government Institutes, the Aristotle University and the Tower of the International Trade Fair are the new landmarks of the modern city.

With Thessaloniki as a base, travellers to the city can visit the archeological sites of VERGINA, in the prefecture of Imathias, about 75 km away, ancient DION, in the Katerini prefecture, about 90 km, Spilaion Petralonon, in the Chalkidiki prefecture, about 50 km, and the fantastic beaches of Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki.

Cultural Centres

Several cultural and artistic Organisations and Institutes play a key role in the cultural and academic life of the Northern capital. Among them are the School of Fine Arts, the University of Macedonia, theatres, the Society for Macedonian Studies and the Institute for Balkan Studies.

Finally, when Thessaloniki became the Cultural Capital of Europe in 1997, this presented an opportunity for the city to respond to the great challenge of realising some of the city’s requests that had not been fulfilled for decades:

The Megaron Mousikis of Thessaloniki, the Royal Theatre, the renovated Theatre of the Society for Macedonian Studies, the cultural complex of the Lazariston Monastery, the Tellogleio Foundation for the Arts, the Macedonian Centre for Contemporary Art, the Olympion Complex, seat of the International Film Festival, the renovated warehouses on the Quay no.1 in the Port, the new Theatre of the Earth, the revamped open-air Forest Theatre and many projects regarding cultural facilities: theatres, libraries, cultural centres, youth centres and centres supporting social policy initiatives in all municipalities of the urban agglomeration, all give a special aroma to this cosmopolitan ‘nymph’ of the Thermaic Gulf.

Nevertheless, what will transform Thessaloniki into an international commercial and cultural centre is its very own Olympiad: the bid for EXPO 2008. The decision is expected at the end of 2004.