The tour starts from Eleftherios Venizelos Monument. Having taken some of the most important decisions that affected Greece during the entire 20th century Eleftherios Venizelos played a key role in certain events that turned out to be critical for the city of Thessaloniki.
We continue to Agios Dimitrios Church. This is the city’s largest church (UNESCO World Heritage) and the main sanctuary dedicated to its patron saint, Agios Dimitrios; it stands on the presumed site of his martyrdom c 306. Restored after the fire in 1917, in line with the original architectural plans, the church has retained some features that are of incomparable historical and artistic interest: the 7C Byzantine mosaics decorating the pillars on either side of the entrance to the apse are remarkably delicate and refined.
Next stop is the famous Rotonda of Thessaloniki. The Rotonda (or Rotunda) is one of the most important Roman monuments in Thessaloniki. It stands just next to the Arch of Galerius in the city center and it is also known as the Church of Agios Georgios. This cylindrical structure was built in 306 AD by the Roman tetrarch Galerius, who intended it to be his grave. At first, it worked as a temple but it remains unknown to which god this temple was dedicated.
South of the Rotunda was the triumphal arch. The triumphal arch was a type of monument of Roman architecture. (known today as “Kamara”), probably built by the city of Thessaloniki between 298 and 305 A.D. to commemorate Galerius’ victorious campaign against the Persians. In its final form, the structure consisted of eight piers arranged in two parallel rows, four in each row. Between the piers were created three arched openings, of which the central one was wider and higher than the other two. The four central piers, which carried marble slabs with relief decoration, were larger than the outer piers and were connected by semi-circular arches supporting a dome.
We continue to Syntrivani Sqaure. The fountain was a gift by Sultan Abdul Hamid to the people of Thessaloniki. On the day of its inauguration, cherry sorbet flowed from the fountain. It remained in the same position until 1936. The present-day fountain is a faithful reconstruction of the original and was placed in the same spot in 1977.
Next stop is at Alexander the Great Monument. Born in 356Bc in Pella, Macedonia he was the son of King Phillip the 2nd of Macedon and Princess Olympiada whose origin was from Epirus. He had the privilege to be educated by one of the greatest philosophers of all time, Aristotle. Alexander inherited the throne of the Macedonian Kingdom right after his father’s assassination in 336 Bc.
Our last stop will be the White Tower. Undeniably the most popular monument in Thessaloniki and the trademark of the city, the White Tower, located along the waterfront of Greece’s second city, stands tall. This famous landmark is connected to the city’s rich past and offers visitors captivating views of the area, including the Thermaic Gulf. Today, the construction is home to a unique museum, making it one of the latest additions to the cultural scene of Thessaloniki.
Our guide was exquisite! She took her time to tailor our tour to our desire to know about the Roman times and the Apostle Paul. She spent hours caring for us, walking us through ancient history and helping us understand this fascinating time in history when the Greek, Roman and biblical world of St. Paul converged. A+++
Amazing experience during our stay in the city. Our guide was really helpful. The duration of the tour was ok. Good thing is that the last stop was in the White tower, so we had the time to enter. Keep going!!
Our guide Georgia was very friendly and she helped us to understand the history of this beautiful city.
