Thessaloniki/GREECE

[George S Kardaras]

A friend of mine is going to visit my hometown, Thessaloniki,
this summer and he asked me for info. Writing the following mail
to him, I thought it would be a good idea if I posted part of it
to the newsgroups in the hope that it may be useful to some of the
readers.

George S. Kardaras

=======================================================================

Surrounding its graceful circular harbor and long waterfront
promenade like an amphitheater, Thessaloniki (named after the sister of
Alexander the Great by its founder, Cassander), the second
largest city of Greece, hosts a rich array of fine Byzantine churches,
an excellent archeological museum, and some Roman ruins. The castle-like
Lefkos Pirgos (White Tower), the symbol of Thessaloniki, presides over
the harbor like an oversized chess piece. About 15 blocks up from the
waterfront, just to the north of Athinas Street, lie the winding
streets of the old town which is great for afternoon perambulations.

If you have time for only one stop in the city, you should definately
head for the Archeological Museum, one of the finest of the country. The
high point of the museum's exhibits is the superb collection of Macedonian
treaures from all of northern Greece. Located in a side wing of the
building, the collection features the recent finds from the Tombs of
Vergina, including delicate gold foil crowns and wreath gold filigree
pins, rings, masks, coins, figurines, and gold larnakes (burial caskets)
which contained the cremated royal family of Vergina. Arranged clockwise
in chronological order, the museum's other displays consist of extraordinary
sculptures and mosaics from prehistoric to Byzantine times.

Near the Archeological Museum, at the start of Vas.Sophias Street
looms the Lefkos Pirgos (White Tower). The tower is all that remains
of a Venetian seawall. Known as the Bloody Tower because an elite corps of
soldiers was massacred in it, the structure was once painted white in the
hope that a more cheerful color would dispel the gruesome connotations. The
tower houses a fascinating museum featuring early Christian and Byzantine
Art.

Thessaloniki posseses several interesting ancient Greek and Roman ruins, the
finest of which is the celebrated Arch of Galerius. Erected to commemorate
the victories of Emperor Galerius over the Persians in 297BC, the arch
stands at the end of Egnatia St. Next to it is the Rotunda, originally
constructed as an emperor's mausoleum. Constantine the Great converted it
into a church with impressive fourth-century mosaics, the oldest in the city.
The Rotunda served as a Turkish mosque for 400 years before being restored
as a church in 1912.

The city has preserved much of its Byzantine art. Only 20 churches survived
the earthquakes occured thoughout the town's history, but many of them contain
outstanding mosaic work. Agios Dimitrios is the largest church in Greece and
contains some famous fifth-century Byzantine mosaics similar to those in
Ravenna, Italy. Most of the old church was destroyed in a fire in 1917, but
a chapel in the far right corner retains its original frescoes. In the basement
of the church, there is an ancient crypt where St. Dimitrios, Thessaloniki's
patron saint, was imprisoned and martyred.

The most noteworthy example of Byzantine art in Thessaloniki is the ninth-
century mosaic of the Ascension in the dome of the Agia Sophia. Modeled
after Aya Sophia in Constantinople, the church is also famous for the unusual
represerntation in the apse of the seated Virgin.

The greatest view of the whole city with the Aegean in the background can be
seen at Panorama, up on Mt. Hortiatis where one can linger over a cup of coffee.

The downtown area is sprinkled with numerous inexpensive self-service
restaurants as well as shops where you can pick up souvlaki and bougatsa.
Interesting, as well as cheap, the agora (marketplace) in the middle of the
town is bounded on four sides by Irakliou, Egnatia, Aristotelous, and Venizelou
Streets.

For those who want to boogie down the American style, they should try the
discos in Kalamaria, by the sea. Kalamaria is full of cafeterias and pizza
houses where one can relax in a cushy chair and sip granita which is available
with or without alcohol.

The list goes on, but if you want to get a taste of Thessaloniki by night, you
should try the tavernas and pubs along the avenue leading to the airport.

Hope that helps. Have a nice time!!!
-G-