Thessaloniki is the second largest town in mainland Greece. An amalgam of traditional and modern elements, Thessaloniki serves as a transportation hub for Northern Greece due to its location, its busy port and the international airport. Situated on the Gulf of Thermaikos in the Aegean Sea, the city is a strategic trading port for northern Greece and the Balkans. Throughout the town, there are plenty of historical sites where travelers can get a peak into the history of this town and can also enjoy the upcoming cosmopolitan structures that Thessaloniki is slowly embracing. Thessaloniki Greece is an exceptional place and provides a wonderful vacation for travelers coming here from all across the world.
Additionally you will find that it is the capital city of the area known as Macedonia. The honorific title is Symprotévousa which means "co-capital". This is a reference which can be traced back to the times when it was a co-reigning city in the Byzantine Empire along with that of Constantinople. While this title provides you with an idea as to the rich history that can be found in this Greek city you will find plenty of evidence of its continuous 3000 year old history in the many relics which have been preserved beautifully. These ancient historical relics can be found from a number of civilizations such as the Roman, Ottoman and Byzantine Empires. Besides looking at these relics you will also have the opportunity of see relics from Thessaloniki's formerly dominant Jewish population.
Thessaloniki History
The city was founded in 315 BC by King Cassander of Macedonia, on a site of old monuments dating back to 2300 BC. It was named after his wife Thessalonica, who was Alexander the Great's sister. In the Byzantine period, the cultural and artistic growth of Thessaloniki continued and the city was second in grandeur only to Constantinople. The Roman Agora is yet another noteworthy monument that dates back to the 3rd century BC. A bustling area of shops and ancient buildings in the past, only some floor mosaics and shop walls remain. Over the years, Thessaloniki has suffered invasions by many cultures, including Slavs, Arabs, Saraces, Normans, Catalans, Turks and Nazis. It is testament to the strength of this city that it has prevailed through each incursion, with its ancient Byzantine monuments intact.
There have been a number of earthquakes in the area over the last two thousand years, which means that Thessaloniki has been rebuilt several times, on top of the ruins of the previous city. This is noticeable when looking at some of the shops, which although accessible from the street, are located below street level. Many churches have withstood the earthquakes and remain standing, accessible via stairs leading down to their entrances from the street. The last earthquake was in 1978.
Thessaloniki sites
The city today has several monuments and landmarks that stand testimony to a glorious past that spanned 3,000 years. The Palace of Galerius, the Arch of Galerius (Kamara) and Rotonda are some of the most famous historical landmarks of Thessaloniki. Built by Galerius, the ruler of the Eastern Roman Empire, who chose Thessaloniki as his kingdom in 300 AD, the palace still remains, although only in part. The Rotonda is a circular building that was built as a mausoleum of Galerius and has some well-preserved frescoes. The Rotunda was altered and converted into a church after the arrival of Saint Paul in Thessaloniki.
You will be able to find this ancient ruin of Thessaloniki standing in Dimitrios Gounari Street. The arch was built on this spot during 298 to 299 CE. In 303 CE is was dedicated to the Tetrarch Galerius to celebrate his victory of the Sassanid Persians as well as the capture of their capital city Ctesiphon in 298. Originally the arch was built as an eight pillared gateway which formed a triple arch. The arch was first made from brick and then marble panels with sculptural carvings to embellish the panels.
The city's most important Byzantine structures can be seen among the churches of Thessaloniki that were built between the 5th and 4th century AD. Some of them, including Saint Demetrios and Agia Sophia are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Thessaloniki was also home to a significant Jewish population from the Roman period to World War II. There are two synagogues and a Jewish museum in the city which stands as a reminder of the city's once prosperous Jewish Diaspora. Besides the Jewish Museum, Thessaloniki boasts a string of museums that house an exhaustive collection of artifacts, manuscripts, coins, and art work excavated from the archaeological sites in the city and spanning a period from the prehistoric to modern.
White Tower of Thessaloniki
The White Tower is the symbol of Thessaloniki. It overlooks the city's waterfront, and is considered the city's most important historical site. It looks like a giant rook chess piece and it is grey in color - not white. The tower was built in the fifteenth century, and served as a prison during the Ottoman Empire's occupation of Greece, from 1430 to 1912. During this time it was known as "The Bloody Tower". When the inmates were executed the bodies were positioned at the top of the tower, so the blood would run down the sides as a fearsome reminder to the Thessalonians of the power of their invaders. After Thessaloniki was liberated, the Tower was whitewashed as a symbolic gesture of cleansing.
Today the White Tower is a museum. We walked up to the top, using the stone staircase that winds its way up and around the inside of the structure. There are three levels on the journey up, as well as benches situated near the windows for unfit visitors that need to rest during the climb. The steps are neither steep nor narrow; there are just rather a lot of them! The view is well worth the climb, affording a 360 degree radius over the sea and the city as far as the eye can see. On a clear day Mount Olympus is easily visible.
The White Tower at the beachfront is the site of a historic blood bath during the Ottoman period, when the Ottoman chief ordered the massacre of troops who he believed were disloyal to him. To wipe away the memory of the tragic event, the tower was whitewashed from blood and that is how it got its name, although with all the white wash gone today, it hardly classifies as white.
Thessaloniki Lifestyle
Besides looking at the cultural wonders which can be found in Thessaloniki you will find there is a vibrant nightlife with clubs, discos, bazouki halls and fine dining and traditional restaurants. The numerous bars and pubs will provide you with music, new acquaintances to make and drinks to relax by. The various restaurants and eateries that you will find in this city will provide you with delicious meals for affordable budgets. For those looking for quieter evenings there are some great bars and cafes along the waterfront and in the two main squares down in the harbor.