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NORTHERN GREECE
Archaelogical Sites, Museums, & Monuments
| Archaeological Museum Tel.(031)830538  The
Museum contains finds from all over Northern Greece. the most famous of
which are from the royal tomb at Vergina which is associated with the
resting place of King Philip the Second, father of Alexander the Great
and includes master- pieces of ancient Macedonian metal craft. Many of
these objects toured the United States recently as part of the "The
Search for Alexander" exhibit. Other finds include:Pre-historic finds, largely pottery, from all over Macedonia and Thrace. Finds belonging to the Geometric Age from the Vergina burial ground (vases, bronze ornaments, etc.). Archaic and Classical Age sculptures from ancient Thermi and from other parts of Macedonia. Next to the originals are some Roman copies of Classical sculptures. There is also a collection of finds from excavations on the site of ancient Olynthos, built in 432 B.C. and destroyed in 348 B.C. by King Philip the Second of Macedonia. A series of Roman sculptures which is one of the richest collections of the 1st to the 5th centuries A.D. The portraits are outstanding and, among them, that of Alexander Sevirus, who became emperor at the age of fourteen, is rare and exceptionally fine.A collection of sarcophagi and glass Roman vases as well as some mosaic floors, discovered during some excavations at Thessaloniki. Other noteworthy finds from the 4th century B.C. are the tombs at Derveni which include bronze and silver vases, weapons, gold, glass, and alabaster ornaments. Quite unique among these is a bronze crater, 91 centimeters in height, richly carved and ornamented. [Back] [Greece Travel Info] |
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FOLKLORIC
MUSEUM Tel:(031)830591 The Museum contains a collection of traditional local costumes from the districts of Thessaly, Macedonia and Thrace as well as hand-woven fabrics, woodcarvings and metal objects. [Back] [Greece Travel Info] |
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THESSALONIKI
ART GALLERY The gallery exhibits noteworthy paintings by Greek and foreign artists and is housed in the building of the Society of Macedonian Studies at 2 Vassilissis Sofias Street. [Back] [Greece Travel Info] |
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ARCH
OF GALERIUS A triumphal arch built in 303 A.D. by the emperor Galerius to commemorate his victories over the Persians in 297 A.D. Originally there was a larger complex which included the pal ace of Galerius, the Hippodrome and the Mausoleum. Only part of the western half of the arch still stands, the entire eastern section having crumbled. It has sculptures in relief, in four strips separated by smaller horizontal lines of decorative work. [Back] [Greece Travel Info] |
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AGHIOS GEORGIOS ROTUNDAThis is the city's oldest and, possibly, most important monument. Built in the beginning of the 4th century A.D. by the emperor Galerius, on the same axis as his Triumphal Arch, it was in all probability intended to serve as a mausoleum. It is a circular building supporting a dome of large dimensions. Internally, there are eight barrel-vaulted niches in the thick circular wall. Around 400 AD it was converted into a church dedicated to Saint George, the S.E. recess having been converted into an altar and a narthex added. The dome and the niches are decorated with mosaics. [Back] [Greece Travel Info] |
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THE
BASILICA OF AGHIOS DEMETRIOS This is dedicated to Saint Demetrios who became a martyr during the reign of the emperor Galerius. It was built in the early part of the 51h century A.D. and was gutted in the great fire of 1917, but has been rebuilt with whatever materials had survived the blaze. The church has a central nave with two aisles on either side and transept projecting not only beyond the sides but also beyond the eastern side to the right and left of the altar, thus forming wings. Outside the west facade stands the Impressive Phiale (or canopied immersion font). Internally, the broad central nave, which ends in an apse, is separated by a series of pillars and columns in white, green and red marble. The sculptured capitals of the columns are excellent works of art. The mosaics that have survived are splendid examples of 5th and 7th century art At the S.E. corner, by the right hand wing, the chapel of Aghios Efthimios has been added to the main church. It contains 14th century A.D. frescoes. The Crypt or "Martyrion" of Saint Demetrios was discovered beneath the altar and the flaps. It was created out of modifications to a Roman bath where, according to tradition, the saint had been imprisoned. [Back] [Greece Travel Info] |
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PANAGHIA
AKHEIROPOIETOS One of the oldest early Christian churches, it was built after the Third Oecumenical Council in 431 A.D. It is a basilica with central nave and aisle on either side, this being the classical example of a Helladic basilica. The outer walls are pierced by several large windows. Inside, good mosaics and frescoes from the 11th century survived. [Back] [Greece Travel Info] |
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AGHIA
SOFIA This church was built during the dispute with the ikonoclasts in the 8th century A.D. and marks the transitional stage from the domed basilica to the cruciform style with dome. It is a square church with dome and three recesses to the East housing the sanctuary, the vestry and the fore room, which form an additional architectural section. The original decoration of the apse was a simple cross but, when the quarrel with the ikonoclasts was settled, it was replaced by a mosaic of the Virgin with Child. The outer walls are plain and thick. [Back] [Greece Travel Info] |
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PANAGHIA
HALKEON This is the oldest of the strictly Byzantine churches in Thessaloniki (Ilth century A.D.) and is of the cruciform style with dome. Three apses project on the eastern side and a narthex on the western side is covered by two small domes. Its architecture presents a blend of the Anatolian and the Constantinople schools of architecture. There is a diminutive but interesting church called Ossios David which is located close to Eptapyrgion in one of the narrow streets of the upper city. The apse of the sanctuary is decorated by a splendid 5th century A.D. mosaic showing Christ among prophets. [Back] [Greece Travel Info] |
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Aghii
Apostoli This is one of the most beautiful of all the churches in Thessaloniki. It is a cruciform building with dome richly decorated externally with mosaics and with frescoes of the period of the Palaeologi line of emperors in the interior. It was built in the 14th century A.D. Aghios Nlkolaos Orfanos Te1.(031)213627 A 14th century church was converted into a museum and contains magnificent frescoes. [Back] [Greece Travel Info] |
 THE
WHITE TOWERThis is a 15th century Venetian circular tower built to form part of the shore defense system which was dismantled during the 19th century. [Back] [Greece Travel Info] |
| VERGINA ArchaeologIcal Site Tel:(031)830538 Vergina about 85 km from Thessaloniki was not very significant until 1977 and 1978, when three very important royal tombs were discovered. The most important tomb is believed to be that of Philip II of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the Great; this tends to confirm the hypothesis that Vergina is the ancient Aigai, the first capital of Macedonia. Among the richest finds are two solid gold urns. Other finds represent the best of their kinds, such as golden wreaths and silver vessels. The frescoes on the walls of the tombs are a valuable contribution to art. The fresco depicting the abduction of Persephone by Pluto on the walls of the small tomb, and the hunting scene on the facade of the large tomb are outstanding creations. The ivory reliefs that adorned the wooden beds of the tombs are masterpieces. Outstanding among them are two portraits--one believed to be that of Philip and the other of Alexander. A group of three reliefs from the third tomb surpasses in beauty and sculptured perfection any other work of the ancient world. The finds from this exhibit are on display at the P.archeological Museum at Thessaloniki. [Back] [Greece Travel Info] |
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PELLA Ancient Pella was founded in the 4th century B.C. and became the capital of the Macedonian State. The city was laid out in the familiar "Hippodameian" pattern of regular, rectangular building blocks with impressive broad streets and a first class water supply network. The houses were of the typical Creek style of dwelling with a central courtyard surrounded by a colonnade and open galleries. On the hill to the west stand the remains of the citadel of the Hellenistic period. Museum |
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PHILIPPI
(FILIPI) Archaeological Site Tel:(051)516470 In the center of the site lie the ruins of the city's Agora, typical of the Greek-Roman style town. It was built after the victory of Octavius over the assassins of Julius Caesar in 42 B.C. at Philippi. The Agora was lined on three sides by arcades and includes fountains, a rostrum, temples and a library. There are also the ruins of two important early Christian basilicas (Philippi was the first city on European soil in which Saint Paul, as an Apostle, preached the Gospel in 49 A.D.). South of the Agora are the ruins of Basilica "B" (6th century A.D.) which marked an unsuccessful attempt to evolve from the basilica to the cruciform style of church with dome. To accomplish this, a market place was razed flat and the Palaestra was largely demolished. Noteworthy, is the city's public latrine at the S.E. corner with most of its 50 marble seats in situ. At the northern end of the Creek-Roman Agora there is a terraced level with a portico and an impressive stairway. On this site a vast basilica was built in about 500 A.D., known as Basilica "A", and collapsed a few years later in an earthquake. It was a basilica with nave and two aisles, a transept and semi-circular apse. On the western side there is a narthex to the north of which a baptismal font was discovered and an atrium. A crypt dating from the Roman period was found in the vicinity and is thought to have served as a prison for Saint Paul. Museum The Museum contains finds from the Dikili-Tach settlement and from Sitagri. There are also finds from the general area of Philippi dating from Hellenistic, Roman and Early Christian times. The Kikili-Tach exhibits are Neolithic. Theater Situated on the slope of the hill to the N.E., it dates from the 4th century B.C. It was remodeled in Roman times and, in the 3rd century A.D. was converted into an arena. The theater, now restored, is used for performances of ancient drama. [Back] [Greece Travel Info] |
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