Thessaloniki [θ-], Thessalonike, also Saloniki for short , the second largest city in Greece, capital of the administrative region of Central Macedonia, on the Thermaic Gulf, (2011) 325 200 residents (1951: 217 000 residents), as a metropolitan area of 1 456 km 2 with 754 600 residents.
According to franciscogardening, Thessaloniki is the seat of a Greek Orthodox Archbishop. Important educational institutions are Aristotle University (founded 1925), University of Macedonia (founded 1957), Center for International and European Business Law, Institute for Balkan Research, Institute for International Public Law and International Relations, Institute for Information Technology and Telematics, and technical colleges. Thessaloniki is the seat of various non-governmental organizations (including the trade and development bank for the Black Sea region), EU information office, and reconstruction agency for the Balkans. The museum landscape includes archaeological museum, museum of Byzantine culture, sports museum, film museum, museum of photography, natural history museum, state museum of contemporary art and others. Museums. Thessaloniki is the most important economic center in Northern Greece, the hub of infrastructural networks in the transport, telecommunications, energy and banking sectors; Messestadt (international autumn fair); Food, beverage, textile and clothing industries, tobacco, building materials, petrochemicals, mechanical engineering, metal end products, solar and paper industries. Thessaloniki is an important export port for goods from the interior of the Balkan Peninsula, a free port, the end point of the traffic routes (rail, motorway) leading from the interior of the Balkan Peninsula to the Aegean Sea via Vardar and Axiostal; Airport. A subway has been under construction since 2006. Beverage, textile and clothing industries, tobacco, building materials, petrochemicals, mechanical engineering, metal end products, solar and paper industries. Thessaloniki is an important export port for goods from the interior of the Balkan Peninsula, a free port, the end point of the traffic routes (rail, motorway) leading from the interior of the Balkan Peninsula to the Aegean Sea via Vardar and Axiostal; Airport. A subway has been under construction since 2006. Beverage, textile and clothing industries, tobacco, building materials, petrochemicals, mechanical engineering, metal end products, solar and paper industries. Thessaloniki is an important export port for goods from the interior of the Balkan Peninsula, a free port, the end point of the traffic routes (rail, motorway) leading from the interior of the Balkan Peninsula to the Aegean Sea via Vardar and Axiostal; Airport. A subway has been under construction since 2006.
Cityscape
Of the large buildings of the Roman Emperor Galerius, the triumphal arch (297/298; originally eight, today four pillars with rich figural relief decorations), the domed structure of the »rotunda«, which was built in the 5th / 6th century. Century was converted into a church (Hagios Georgios, with multi-zone dome mosaic; today a museum), and parts of the palace complex have been preserved, v. a. the octagon (diameter 29.50 m). Remains of the city walls of the 5th century with around 60 towers, from the 2nd half of the 5th century, the Acheiropoietos basilica (architectural sculpture and mosaic remains) and the small church Hosios David (apse mosaic) date from the early Byzantine period. The great basilica (5th and 7th centuries) of St. Demetrios († beginning of the 4th century), especially venerated in Thessaloniki preserves wall mosaics from the 7th century.
Several churches from the Middle Byzantine period have been preserved: Hagia Sophia (8th century; dome mosaic from the end of the 9th century); Theotokoskirche or Panhagia Chalkeon (11th century; for the first time the floor plan of a Byzantine domed church consists of an isosceles Greek cross; the brick facades and wall paintings are also significant), Katharinenkirche (end of the 13th century), the Apostles’ Church from the early 14th century (palaeological mosaics), Elias Church (mid-14th century) with naos. The White Tower (from 2006 City Museum), the city’s landmark, was built by Venetian builders for the Turks in the 16th century. The Hamza Bey mosque (1467–68) was renovated in 1620. The early Christian and Byzantine monuments were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. In 1997 Thessaloniki was »European City of Culture«. Thessaloniki has an impressive museum architecture. The archaeological museum was built in 1961–62 (fully furnished in 1971) according to plans by Patroklos Karantinos, the Museum of Byzantine Culture was built in 1989-93 according to plans by Kyriakos Krokos. As part of the 2004 Summer Olympics, the Sports Museum (2003-04) was rebuilt near the stadium.
History
Thessaloniki was founded in 316/315 BC. Founded by the Macedonian king Kassander and named after his wife Thessalonike. Under Roman rule (since 146 BC) it became the capital of the Macedonia province and gained great importance. Through the apostle Paul one of the first Christian communities arose here (Thessalonians). In late antiquity and in the Middle Ages – the city had belonged to the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire since the division of the empire – Thessaloniki became a bulwark against numerous Germanic (especially in the 3rd century) and Avar as well as Slavic (in the 6th / 7th centuries) incursions. In 904 the city was conquered and devastated by the Saracens, in 1185 by the Sicilian Normans. After the conquest of Constantinople by the Crusaders (1204), Thessaloniki was temporarily the capital of a kingdom under Boniface of Montferrat († 1207), was under the despot of Epirus and belonged to the kingdom of Nikaia. In 1423 the city submitted to Venice in the fight against the Ottomans, but was defeated by Sultan Murad II in 1430 . conquered. The Greek population was killed or deported, and 20,000 Jews displaced from Spain were settled in their place at the end of the 15th century. The re-immigration of the Greek population did not begin again until the 18th century, and in 1821 their revolt against Ottoman rule failed. In 1912, Thessaloniki was conquered by Greek troops in the 1st Balkan War and Greece was annexed.
