The city of

Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of the geographic region of ...

Macedonia, Greece Macedonia (; el, Μακεδονία, Makedonía ) is a geographic and former administrative region of Greece, in the southern Balkans. Macedonia is the largest and Greek geographic region, with a population of 2.36 million in 2020. It is ...

, for several centuries the second-most important city of the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

, played an important role for Christianity during the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

and was decorated by impressive buildings. Because of Thessaloniki's importance during the

early Christian Early Christianity (up to the First Council of Nicaea in 325) spread from the Levant, across the Roman Empire, and beyond. Originally, this progression was closely connected to already established Jewish centers in the Holy Land and the Jewis ...

and Byzantine periods, the city contains several Paleochristian monuments that have significantly contributed to the development of

Byzantine art Byzantine art comprises the body of Christian Greek artistic products of the Eastern Roman Empire, as well as the nations and states that inherited culturally from the empire. Though the empire itself emerged from the decline of Rome and lasted u ...

and

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings ...

throughout the Byzantine Empire and

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia ( Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hu ...

. The evolution of Imperial Byzantine architecture and the prosperity of Thessaloniki go hand in hand, especially during the first years of the Empire, when the city continued to flourish. Despite the capture of Thessaloniki by the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...

in 1430, the Christian monuments were not destroyed, and travelers such as

Paul Lucas Paul Lucas may refer to: * Paul Lucas (footballer) (1936–1992), English football (soccer) player * Paul Lucas (genealogist) (1683–1759), French genealogist and Augustinian friar, known as Père Simplicien or Simplicien Lucas * Paul Lucas (pl ...

and Abdulmejid I document the city's wealth in Christian monuments during the Ottoman control of the city. In 1988, fifteen monuments of Thessaloniki were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites: #

City Walls A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...

(4th/5th centuries) # Rotunda of Saint George (4th century) # Church of Acheiropoietos (5th century) # Church of St. Demetrios (7th century) # Latomou Monastery (6th century) # Church of St. Sophia (8th century) #

Church of Panagia Chalkeon The Church of Panagia Chalkeon ( el, ) is an 11th-century Byzantine church in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki. The church's well-preserved Byzantine architecture and testimony to the importance of Thessaloniki in early and medieval Chris ...

(11th century) # Church of St. Panteleimon (14th century) # Church of the Holy Apostles (14th century) # Church of St. Nicholas Orphanos (14th century) # Church of St. Catherine (13th century) # Church of Christ Saviour (14th century) # Blatades Monastery (14th century) # Church of Prophet Elijah (14th century) # Byzantine Bath (14th century)

Gallery

File:Wallsthess.jpg, Walls of Thessaloniki File:Rotonda S. Giorgio di Salonicco - panoramio.jpg, Rotunda of St George File:Εσωτερικό Ροτόντας.jpg, Interior of Rotunda File:Thessalonikki, Greece 5 Old Church 4.jpg,

Church of the Acheiropoietos The Church of the Acheiropoietos ( el, ) is a 5th-century Byzantine church in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, Central Macedonia. It is located in the city's centre, at Agias Sofias street opposite Makedonomachon square. Because of its ...

File:Church of Saint Demetrios - panoramio.jpg,

Hagios Demetrios The Church of Saint Demetrius, or Hagios Demetrios ( el, Άγιος Δημήτριος), is the main sanctuary dedicated to Saint Demetrius, the patron saint of Thessaloniki (in Central Macedonia, Greece), dating from a time when it was the s ...

File:Latomou Monastery View.jpg, Latomou Monastery File:Αγία Σοφία, Θεσσαλονίκη 3859.jpg, Church of Hagia Sophia File:THES Panaghia Chalkeon 5944.JPG,

File:Saint Pantaleon Church in Thessaloniki by George Groutas.jpg, Church of Saint Panteleimon File:07Thessaloniki 12 Apostel02.jpg, Church of the Holy Apostles File:Agios Nikolaos Orfanos - panoramio.jpg,

Church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos The Church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos ( el, ) is an early 14th-century Byzantine church in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki. Covered in outstanding Byzantine frescoes, the church is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List along with oth ...

File:Ναός Αγίας Αικατερίνης, Θεσσαλονίκη 1953.jpg, Church of Saint Catherine File:Transfiguration of Jesus Church in Thessaloniki by George Groutas.jpg,

Church of the Saviour, Thessaloniki The Church of the Saviour ( el, Ναός του Σωτήρος, ''Naós tou Sotíros'') is a 14th-century Byzantine chapel in Thessaloniki, Greece. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessalo ...

File:Monastery of the Vlatades 09.jpg,

Vlatades Monastery Vlatades Monastery or Vlatadon Monastery ( el, Μονή Βλατάδων) is a monastery in Ano Poli, Thessaloniki, Greece. Built in the 14th century during the late era of the Byzantine Empire, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with 14 ...

File:Church of Prophet Elias 01.jpg, Church of Prophet Elijah File:Βυζαντινό λουτρό Άνω Πόλης 1788.jpg, Byzantine Bath

References

External links

* {{Greek Macedonia World Heritage Sites in Greece Buildings and structures in Thessaloniki Christianity in late antiquity Tourist attractions in Thessaloniki