Salonica, is the capital of Macedonia and second largest city in Greece with a population of 500,000 inhabitants, is one of the oldest cities in Europe. It stretches over twelve kilometers in a bowl formed by low hills facing a bay that opens into the Gulf Thermaikos. It is built in the cove of Thermaikos Bay, surrounded by Mount Hortiatis and Kedrinos Lofos (Cedar Hill), also known as “Sheikh Sou” on the North, and two rivers on the West, Gallikos River and Axios River. The capital of Macedonia, and a commercial, industrial and spiritual centre of international importance, the modem city of Salonica can satisfy the demands of any visitor. The old city is next to the modern one linked with Cassandrou street. Its wooden houses and the winding narrow streets refer to the East. Its buildings are the only one saved from the conflagration of 1917. It's one of the few cities having so many monuments from the Ancient, Middle and Byzantine Times. |
• The Church of Aghia Sophia It is a rectangular church, with a cross-in-square nucleus, which is covered with a dome. It is a 7th century church (Leon III Isavros); it was built on the ruins of a large, five-aisled basilica dated to the 5th century A.D. It was the metropolitan church of Salonica, dedicated to the Wisdom (Sophia) of God. The monument is now used as a church. The mosaic of its dome represents the Ascension of Christ. • The Church of Acheiropoietos, Three-aisled basilica with a narthex on the west side and a second entrance with a monumental propylon in the middle of the south wall. The church was built in the middle of the 5th century, on the remains of a Roman bath. It was dedicated to the Holy Virgin "not made by human hands" (Acheiropoietos). It has magnificent mosaics. • The Church of Panaghia Chalkeon (Our Lady of the coppersmiths). It is in the Square of the Court Palace. It a longitudinal church of the cross-in-square type of the Byzantine period. • The Church of Agios Dimitrios, the patron saint of Salonica. • The Arch of Galerius. It was built in 300 AD, to celebrate the definitive triumph of the Emperor over the Persians. • The Rotunda, a circular building built by Galerius Ceasar. • The Church of Agios Nikolaos at Herodotou street, a narrow street of the Upper Town. It is a 14th century church with magnificent frescoes. It is actually a metochion (dependence) of the Vlatades Monastery and it functioned as a church even during the Turkish occupation. The monument is used as a church. • The Monastery of Vlatadon is located near the northern wall of the ancient city of Salonica, in the Upper Town —on the high hill overlooking the city. The monastery was founded in the fourteenth century. It is celebrated for its Patriarchal Institute for Paternal Studies, the only one in the world. Its church is cruciform in plan with a dome (14th century). • The Eptapyrgion Fortress that occupies the north-east section of the city walls. In its present form, the complex of buildings constitutes two groups - the Byzantine fortress of ten towers connected by the curtain walls and rampart, and the 19th Century prison buildings both inside and outside the fortress. In moderm times, the monument was used as a prison. • The church of Agios David or the Latomos Monastery: Early Christian church constructed in the late 5th century. Its splendid mosaics portraying "the glory of the Lord" or "the vision of Ezekiel" are renowned. (Located in the Upper Town). • The church of Agia Ekaterini (13th century); it is a cruciform church with a beautiful preserved exterior and some fragments of frescoes. • The church of Agii Apostoli (the Holy Apostles) built in the 14th century; it is a cruciform church with richly decorated facade, mosaics and frescoes from the Palaeologan era. • The White Tower: This large tower and its counterparts Trigoniou, at the southeast corner of the citadel were probably erected in the 15th century. Some smaller towers stood there before the 15th century. • The National Theater of Northern Greece, based in Salonica, was founded on 13th January 1961. Its first director Sokratis Karantinos. It hosts the National Gallery of Salonica with many works of art of Greek and foreign painters. • Near the white Tower you can see the installations of the International Exhibition Centre with the tower of OTE (Hellenic Telecommunication Organization). Today Salonica is a thriving city and one of the most important trade and communications centres in the Mediterranean. The installations of the International Exhibition Centre occupy a huge area of many square meters. Alexandreio Sports Melathron is built inside the International Exhibition ground at the side of Septemvriou 3rd road. The International Exhibition opens its gates on the first Sunday of each September. It's the most important trade and economic event of the city as the interest all over the world is drawn to the articles that are exhibited and the proposals of the tens of participants. • The Archaeological Museum (tel.No.: 2310-831037), that presents fully and thoroughly the historical past of Macedonia. The headless man statue and the girl statue of the archaic times, the tombstones of the classic times, the mosaics, the sculptures and the portraits of the roman times excite the admiration of the visitors. • The Folklife and Ethnological Museum of Macedonia and Thrace (Tel. No.: 2310-812343). The Museum collections amount to some 15.000 pieces, comprising woven and embroidered items, costumes, tools, guns, domestic utensils, furniture, carvings and woodwork, clay and metalwork, folk instruments, etc. At Proxenou Koromila street, there is a more specialized museum: it's the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle (1878-1912) for the exhibits from the Macedonian struggle. • Moreover in the area of "Ladadika”, which is situated down Ionos Dragoumi Street to the Paraliaki Street, a visitor can find a large variety of tavernas, luxury restaurants, nightclubs and galleries for his own pleasure. Do visit "Ladadika" that is a vibrant historical old neighbourhood which was saved by the big fire in 1917. The Tsimiski, Ermou, Aeistotelous and Pavlou Mela Streets are the heart of the commercial center of Salonica with all kinds of shops. A visitor can find there several department stores, boutiques and specialty stores with a variety of goods and prices. To the north, Zografou street passes in front of the hospital of Agios Dimitrios and ends up at OHI avenue that leads to “Sheikh Sou”, a forest that is a lung of the town. |