A journey through the riches of Thessaloniki, what to see in one of the most beautiful cities in Greece where monuments and museums tell of its glorious past
Greece is the cradle of European civilization and is home to numerous cities of inestimable historical and artistic value. One of them is ancient Thessaloniki, founded in 316 BC. by the Macedonian king Cassander and known in the past as Thessalonica. City with numerous historical traces, on this trip we will travel through part of its history, up to the present day, through 5 places that should not be missed.
The Church of Saint Demetrius, patron saint of Thessaloniki
On Agiou Dimitriou Street is the splendid Church of Saint Demetrius. Just think that it dates back to the 1988th century and was built exactly in the place where, at least according to tradition, the saint was murdered. Admire the order of the façade and the bell tower and then enter to understand why this site also became part of the UNESCO World Heritage list in XNUMX. Numerous mosaics of very ancient date are preserved in this church (some dating back to the creation of the church) and rare craftsmanship that tell us about the life of the saint, but there is no shortage of numerous frescoes representing Christ and the evangelists.
The riches of Galerius
The Roman emperor Galerius ruled from 293 to 311 AD. and he had numerous works built in Thessaloniki. First of all, he arrives at Filippou Street and follows in the footsteps of the Roman Emperor walking under his Triumphal arch which was built after the victory against the Sassanids in 297 AD. Continue towards your mausoleum, also called Rotonda di Galerius, a great artistic composition that once must have shone with glory.
Unfortunately, some extensions made in subsequent centuries, such as the Christian apse and the structure of the mosque from the mid-16th century, have been lost or in any case are very damaged, but this does not diminish the historical and artistic importance of the Mausoleum. In fact, if you enter and look at the dome you will see a series of frescoes whose color is still as vivid as in the past: they belong to the first century of the Christian era and are so important that they have contributed to including this site. among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The White Tower, symbol of the city
One of the symbols of Thessaloniki is located in its lower part, or Kato Poli, and is represented by the White Tower. This tall stone bastion has battlements at the top and has the imposing appearance of a defensive structure. In fact, it was part of the walls that in the past protected the city and according to some scholars this monument dates back to the 15th century (although according to others it is from a more recent period and was built in the 16th century by Sultan Murat II). Inside the tower you will find a section of the Thessaloniki City Museum and you will have the opportunity to climb to the top for a panoramic view of the city.
The Archaeological Museum
To begin to set foot in Thessaloniki's past, it is necessary to visit its Archaeological Museum, where you will have at your disposal the best collections in the city. Just think that in one of the exhibition areas you will find yourself in front of funerary objects related to the tomb of Philip II of Macedonia, none other than the father of Alexander the Great. In the antiquity section there are many objects that were used in daily life as work objects or ceramics of all kinds. There is also a section dedicated to goldsmithing, very interesting and evocative, and finally we must also mention the beautiful Derveni vase, probably from the time of Philip II.
The “NOESIS” scientific center
As a last stop, we highlight the Science Center and Museum of Technology, which is located in the Thermi neighborhood, in the southern part of the city and can be reached by taxi or bus. Also discover the futuristic soul of Thessaloniki by visiting all the scientific exhibitions, such as those that will make you protagonists of a trip to space, while a very fascinating section is the one that refers to the technology of the ancient Greeks: here some technological works are exhibited according to the descriptions that the Greeks made of it and that by tradition have reached our days.
