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 Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area, and the capi ...

in Macedonia, Greece, 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 a ...

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 Jewish d ...

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 ...

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 building ...

throughout the Byzantine Empire and

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...

. 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 and

Abdulmejid I Abdulmejid I ( ota, عبد المجيد اول, ʿAbdü'l-Mecîd-i evvel, tr, I. Abdülmecid; 25 April 182325 June 1861) was the 31st Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and succeeded his father Mahmud II on 2 July 1839. His reign was notable for the r ...

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 A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

: # City Walls (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 The Church of the Holy Apostles ( el, , ''Agioi Apostoloi''; tr, Havariyyun Kilisesi), also known as the ''Imperial Polyándreion'' (imperial cemetery), was a Byzantine Eastern Orthodox church in Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman E ...

(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 The Walls of Thessaloniki ( el, Τείχη της Θεσσαλονίκης, ''Teíchi tis Thessaloníkis'') are the 4 kilometer-long city walls surrounding the city of Thessaloniki during the Middle Ages and until the late 19th century, when lar ...

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 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 se ...

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,

File:Agios Nikolaos Orfanos - panoramio.jpg, Church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos 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 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 A World ...

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