Thessaloniki

History

The capital of Macedonia and second largest city of Greece. It was first established in 316 B.C. by Kassandros and named after his wife, Thessaloniki, sister of Alexander the Great.
It is here that Paul, the Apostle of Nations, first brought the message of Christianity (50 A.D.) and that Demetrius, a Roman officer died in martyrdom, thus becoming the holy patron of the city for ever (303 A.D.).
Thessaloniki becomes the second important city of the Byzantine Empire, next to Konstantinople, ornamented with numerous majestic and glamorous architectural works that display all forms of Byzantine art. After this illustrious era, the enemies take over. But each time, after every catastrophe, Thessaloniki reexalts her splendor, dressed in her eternal garment of ancient and Byzantine glory.

The Modern City

Today Thessaloniki with its University and the International Trade Fair - a crossroad for peoples' friendship and collaboration - is a lively modern city bustling with life and movement.
Large avenues, parks and squares, lines of trees that frame commercial streets with showy shop-windows. Old houses, neoclassical buildings, modern dwellings. Yesterday meets today at old taverns, "ouzeries", restaurants next to hotels and luxury bars, "bouzouki halls" (Thessaloniki is the cradle of modern greek popular song, "rembetiko"), cinema halls, theaters and confectioner's shops that arrange their seats and tables on street pavements and squares.
Small family run taverns and basement pastry shops offer a delicious variety of famous Macedonian specialties, next to stalls of ice-cream sellers for busy passers by.

And then, peace. After the lively city, a different world: The Upper City (Ano-Poli), full of poetry and charm. Old neighborhoods with narrow streets and lovely small gardens. Yards with clothes-lines and children playing jauntily in front of wide open doors. Popular songs and the sweet smell of night flowers.
At every step you can hear the heart of Thessaloniki throb. A heart that is immortal both in sorrow and in joy. A friendly heart to all - the Greek and the foreign alike ...

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES

• The Palace of Galerius (300 A.D.) at Navarino Square.
• Roman Market and Theater. Ruins standing at the Law Court Square (Dikastiria).
• Roman Baths. North of the church of Agios Dimitrios.
• Nymphaion. An elegant nomopteral, circular building.

MONUMENTS - CHURCHES

• Galerian Arch (Kamara) erected short before 305 A.D.
• The Rotonda, a domed building of early 4th century A.D., destined to serve as a Pantheum or as a Mausoleum for emperor Galerius.
• The Ahiropiitos (middle 5th century A.D.) and the cruciform church of Ossios David (late 5th century A.D.), the chapel of the Latomos Convent, are the two early christian churches that still stand in Thessaloniki.
• The Walls were erected during the time of Theodossios the Great to gird the city from Democracy Square of nowadays across Eptapyrgio up to the site later occupied by the White Tower, a work of the architect Sinan (first half of 16th century).
• Agios Dimitrios, was completely rebuilt in 1948 according the original plans. The church has been destroyed twice before by fire.
• The Crypt, the most easterly section of the Bath, is the place where St. Demetrios was imprisoned, tortured and buried.
• Agia Sofia (8th century) marks the transition from the domed basilica to the domed crusiform church.
• Panagia Halkeon, a cruciform church, was built in 1028 A.D. according an inscription of that era.
• Agia Ekaterini (13th century) is very well preserved externally, with traces of frescoes inside.
• Agii Apostoli (14th century) retains a rich decoration both externally and in the interior, dating at the time of the Byzantine Paleologos imperial dynasty.
• Agios Nikolaos Orfanos (14th century), 20 Irodotou Str.. tel. 0310213627 richly decorated with frescoes became in the 17th century the chapel of Vlatadon Monastery. Its form has been greatly changed since the time of its erection.
• Profitis Ilias was built in 1360 upon the ruins of a Byzantine palace by the monk Makarios Houmnos. The postbyzantine era has also left in Thessaloniki an important number of churches

MUSEUMS

• Archaeological: HANTH Square, tel. 0310830538. Displaying sculpture of the archaic, classical and Roman periods. A special wing houses the impressive unique founding of Vergina.
• Ethnological and Popular art: 68, Vas. Olgas, tel. 0310830591 displaying costumes and objects of the last 250 years of Greek national life and culture.
• Museum of the Macedonian Struggle: 23, Proxenou Koromila Str. tel. 0310229778. Exhibits from the years of local national resistance 1878 - 1912.
• White Tower Museum: tel. 0310267832. An exhibition of the history and art of Byzantine Thessaloniki covering the period between 300 and 1430 A.D.
• Gallery of Fine Arts: 1, Nic. Germanou Str. inside the building of the National Theater, tel. 0310238601. Important works of Greek and foreign painters.
• Municipal Gallery: 162, Vas. Olgas, tel. 0310425531.
• Museum of the Crypt: Inside the church of Agios Dimitrios, tel. 0310213627 - 0310270008.
• Museum of the Society for Macedonian Studies: 1, Nic. Germanou Str. tel. 0310238601.
• Northern Greece Cultural Center: 108, Vas. Olgas Str., tel. 0310834404, 0310820240.
• Macedonian Center of Modern Art: International Trade Fair grounds, tel. 0310471545.
• Technical Museum of Thessaloniki: Thessaloniki Industrial Area, 2nd Street, Building no 47, tel. 0310799773.

Worth visiting are also the two concert Halls, the National Theater, National Orchestra, the Society for Macedonian Studies, the Foundation for the Emos Peninsula Studies and the unique in the world Foundation for Patristic Studies, the University Institutes, the International Trade Fair of Thessaloniki grounds and the Macedonian Press Agency.

Useful Information

By Rail
Rail services link Thessaloniki with Athens and the towns of Macedonia and Thrace, while the line through Yugoslavia provides connections with Central and Western Europe, the line through Bulgaria with Eastern Europe and the line through Turkey with the countries of the Near East. Information: State Railways offices at No 18, Aristotelous St. tel. 0310276382, and the new railway terminal, tel. 0310517517.

By Road
Coach services are operated by KTEL between Thessaloniki and Athens, Larissa, Volos, Patras and Aedipsos (only during the summer).
Thessaloniki - Kilkis: Thessaloniki. Agency: 76, Gianitson St., tel. 0310521644.
Thessaloniki - Halkidiki: 68, Krakassi St., tel. 0310924444.

By Plane
Information: El. Venizelos, tel. 010 3530000.

By Sea
There are connections by sea with the islands Lemnos, Lesbos, Hios all year round. Also summer connections with the island groups of Sporades, Dodecanese and Cyclades. Information: Thessaloniki Port Authority. Tel. 0310531505.

Useful telephone numbers

Automatic dialing code: 031
Greek National Tourist Organization: 8, Aristotelous Square, tel. 0310222935, 0310271888
Tourist Police, tel. 0310544162
New Railway Station, tel. 0310517517
Ministry of Northern Greece, Platia Diikitiriou, tel. 0310264321
Aliens Bureau, Politehniou St, tel. 0310510829
Hellenic Touring and Automobile Club, 228, Vas.Olgas St., and Egeou St, tel.: 0310426319/20
Hellenic Touring and Automobile Club Road Assistance Service (OVELPA), tel. 104