What Is The Paleochristian And Byzantine Monuments?

For several centuries, the second most important city of the Byzantine Empire was the city of Thessaloniki in Macedonia, Greece. During the Middle Ages it played an important role for Christianity and has many impressive buildings.

In 1988, fifteen of the monuments were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

• 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 (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)

History

Thessalonika, the provincial capital and seaport was founded in 315 BC and was one of the first centres for the spread of Christianity. Among its Christian monuments are churches constructed from the 4th to the 15th century. The mosaics of Thessalonika’s monuments are among the great masterpieces of Early Christian art.

During the Byzantine era, the city established a cultural centre that determined the developments not only in the immediately surrounding but also in neighbouring areas. The monuments reveal a continuous artistic exchange with the greatest cultural centres of Rome and Constantinople. The city itself was an important artistic centre throughout the Byzantine period as we can see this in the wall painting ensembles, mosaics, and frescoes, preserved in monuments.

Monuments such as the Holy Apostles, the chapel of Saint Euthymios in the Church of Saint Demetrius, Saint Nikolaos Orphanos, Saint Panteleimon, the Transfiguration of the Saviour, Saint Aikaterini, Prophitis Ilias, the Katholikon of the Vlatadon Monastery reflect the Palaeologan period.

Archaeological Remains

The Walls of Thessaloniki are the city walls surrounding the city of Thessaloniki during the Middle Ages and until the late 19th century. The city was fortified in the late 4th century BC, but the present walls date from the early Byzantine period.

The Arch of Galerius and the Rotunda are two early 4th-century AD monuments. The Roman Emperor Galerius ordered these two structures as elements of an imperial precinct linked to his Thessaloniki palace. Archaeologists have found remains of the palace to the southwest.

The Church of the Acheiropoietos is a 5th-century Byzantine church. It has been dated about 450–470, making it the earliest of the city’s surviving churches. Known as the Panagia Theotokos in Byzantine times, it is dedicated to Mary.

The Church of Saint Demetrius, or Hagios Demetrios is dedicated to Saint Demetrius, the patron saint of Thessaloniki. The first church was constructed in the early 4th century AD and then replaced with a larger three-aisled basilica. It was reconstructed as a five-aisled basilica in 629–634. The church had an unusual shrine called the ciborium, a hexagonal, roofed structure at one side of the nave that was made of or covered with silver. It seems to have been a symbolic tomb.

The Church of Hosios David is a late 5th-century church and functioned as the katholikon of the Latomos and have mosaic and fresco decorations. Under Ottoman rule, the building was converted into a mosque, until it was deconsecrated as a Greek Orthodox church in 1921.

The Hagia Sophia is one of the oldest churches in the city. In 1205, when the Fourth Crusade captured the city, the Hagia Sophia was converted into the cathedral of Thessaloniki. After the capture of Thessaloniki by the Ottoman Sultan Murad II on 29 March 1430, the church was converted into a mosque but reconverted to a church upon the liberation of Thessaloniki in 1912.

The Church of Panagia Chalkeon is an 11th-century Byzantine church and according to the founder’s inscription above the west entrance, the church was built in 1028 by the protospatharios Christopher, katepano of Longobardia, and his wife, son, and two daughters.

The Church of Saint Panteleimon lies in the eastern part of the old city, near the Tomb of Galerius. In Ottoman times, it was converted into a mosque and became known as Mosque of Ishak.

The Church of the Holy Apostles is a 14th-century Byzantine church and it use to form part of a larger complex. It appears that the church was originally built as the katholikon of a monastery.

The Church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos is an early 14th-century Byzantine church and due to traces of remnants that survived to the east, it originally formed part of a monastery.

The Church of Saint Catherine is a late Byzantine church that dates to the Palaiologan period. From its interior decoration, which survives in fragments and is dated to around 1315, it has been suggested that it was the katholikon of the Monastery of the Almighty.

Church of the Saviour is a 14th-century Byzantine chapel.

Vlatades Monastery or Vlatadon Monastery is a monastery built in the 14th century during the late era of the Byzantine Empire.

The Church of Prophet Elijah is a 14th-century church that dates to the Palaiologan period. Based on its internal decoration, the church could be the katholikon of the important Akapniou Monastery.

The Byzantine Bath is one of the few and best preserved of the Byzantine baths that have survived from the Byzantine period. The baths date to the late 12th/early 13th century and functioned continuously until 1940.

Interest For Today

All monuments are maintained intact, or as in the case of the city walls, with minimal losses. The boundaries are adequate to protect the structure of the monuments and there are buffer zones for some of them. The continual use of the buildings through time proved beneficial to their state of conservation.

All monuments maintain all the architecture and decoration of their initial phase. In the beginning of the 20th century the monuments commenced to be restored and low-quality recent interventions or additions were removed. Minor restoration projects that were always documented were carried out.

Unfortunately, after the disastrous fire of 1917 on the church of Saint Demetrius, large-scale restoration was carried out. For the last 30 years small scale rescue restorations were done.

All restoration and landscaping done until now in the monuments of Thessalonika contributed to their maintenance and the enhancement of their authenticity.

Location

The Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments are found in Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece at the coordinates 40°38′18″N 22°57′54″E

Tourist Information

Tourist Information Centre at Aristoteles Square can be contacted on telephone +30 2310 229070

Thessaloniki Tourist Information Centre next to the Royal Theatre can be contacted on telephone +30 2310 231473.