Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece and enjoys a long and rich history, much of it associated with the Byzantine Empire. Thessaloniki, in fact, has a much richer modern history than the larger, more well known Athens. While Athens has many sites from antiquity, Thessaloniki also boasts many historical sites from the Christian Era.

Located on the Thermaikos Gulf in Northern Greece, Thessaloniki is the home to approximately 1,000,000 people. It has one of the largest Universities in the Balkans, The Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, and a major international expo center, which hosts fairs and events throughout the year. It's biggest event, however, is the annual expo in September at which the Prime Minister of Greece gives a speech about the state of the nation. Due to it's sea location in a shielded harbor, Thessaloniki became an important trade center in antiquity and Byzantium. As a result, Thessaloniki, throughout it's history, has always enjoyed a reputation as a cosmopolitan city. The city has had significant Jewish, Muslim, Greek, and Bulgarian populations. During the Ottoman era, the Christian, Muslim and Jewish populations lived side by side in relative harmony. Thessaloniki is also home to a Jewish Museum and an award winning Byzantine Museum, tracing important elements of the city's rich history. The Byzantine Museum contains many artifacts from the Byzantine era and was recently honored as the top museum in Europe.

The city however, is the home of living history. While there are ruins of the Palace of Galarius, the Eastern Roman Emperor who made a home here, what is most impressive are the still active Orthodox Churches from Byzantine times. The Church of Aheiropiito dates back to the fourth century A.D. and the Church of Saint Sophia dates to the 5th century. Both churches still stand today and celebrate the Orthodox Liturgy every Sunday along with a full cycle of services. There is also the famous church of the patron saint of the City, Saint Dimitrios. Though severely damaged by fire in the early 20th century, the church has been rebuilt, much of it constructed in combination with the remaining ruins of the old church. There are ancient Roman baths under the church and an altar standing at the site of a previous more ancient church that was built on the location where Saint Dimitrios was martyred.

There are a number of other Byzantine Churches in the city and maps can be found at a number of the churches to direct you to the other churches' locations. Significant among these churches is the Rotunda which was built in the fourth century, most likely as a mausoleum for Galerius. It became a church during the Byzantine era and was later turned into a mosque during the Ottoman period. When Thessaloniki was taken by the Greeks at the end of the First Balkan War in 1912, the Rotunda was once again made into a church. Though the minuret still stands, the Rotunda is officially now a church, celebrating liturgies occasionally, most significantly on April 23, the feast of Saint George, who is the patron saint of the Rotunda church.

While Thessaloniki certainly boasts a number of notable historical sites, what is really most memorable about the city is its earthy charm and people. Thessaloniki is a laid-back city, not wanting to imitate the noise and bustle of larger Athens. The people of Thessaloniki are known, however, for being very current and fashionable, keeping up with the latest in trends and styles of dress.

Thessaloniki, despite being a fairly large city, does not receive nearly the level of tourist traffic that Athens does. As a result, there are very few overt tourist attractions and traps in the city. Tourists dine and visit the same places as do the locals and it offers a visitor the opportunity to have an authentic experience of a Greek city, mixing with the people and not being shuffled into places designed to lure tourists.

The Ottoman Conqueror Murad II, prior to taking the city in 1430 had a dream, and in the dream he sniffed a rose and the rose was Thessaloniki.¹ The Rose of Northern Greece, Thessaloniki is definitely worth a visit if your are planning a trip to Greece or the Eastern Mediterranean.

¹Mazower, Mark. Thessaloniki: City of Ghosts.