AGIA SOPHIA

was on 23 December 537a.d.So the church of Agia Sophia celebrated on

 Costantinos the Great had put the foundations in Istanbul for sacred temple Dedicated to Agia Sophia This church which was built by his son Kostantios based the Agia Sophia in Instablu was destroyet by a fire 532a.d.Then Justinian gave order to rebuilt the temple.The project ended under the supervision of the empror Justinian in just five years and the in auguration 23 February.The church is 75 meters loug and 70 meters wide.The dome is total 32 meters high and its iluminated by 40 windows.The highest dome hasa total of 75 meters.A hunderd marble columns support the arches and Vaults Agia Sophia does not look exactly towards the east but deviates a little to the
south.Finally Agia Sophia has 80 elders,150 deacons,25 chanters and 75
. porters.Agia Sophia is the largest older church is Thessaloniky.  

TEMBLE OF ST. CHATHERINE

TEMPLE OF ST.CHATHERINE

The church of saint Catherine located in the northwestern part of the upper city in Thessaloniki. It is located north of the way of Saint Demetrius near the Byzantine walls. It is a property with features of the so called Makedonikis School. The central dome of the temple rests on cross-shaped. The temple has a total of five domes. One of the main features of the temple is the periteches wall external. The exterior walls has the same interest with the external walls who had been plastered by the Turks when they turned the temple into a mosque and named it Giakoupasa Tzami. This small part of ancient wall paintings date early 14 century around 1315-1325. 1938 the temple was joined as Byzantine Museum of Thessaloniki.

ROTUDA

                               
The Rotonta  is a building which was destined for mausoleum of Caesar Galerius. Due to the non-use of later converted into a Christian church of S.t.George and joined the earlg Christian and Byzantine monyments of Thessaloniki as world Heritage by UNESCO.It is a round building of the 4th centurg and was built around 304AD.The paintings have been preserved only under the dome while the rest were destroyed when the church changed from the Turks in Mohammedan mosque.The chin'st is depicted in the paintings of the dowe.The diameter of the building is 24.50meters and the height of about 30meters.Iside the thicness of the walls which is 6.30meters eight rectaugular bays opened.Above them there are large windows.More over,in between,even a number of smaller windows.Rotunda was named after the circular shape,while the name Agios Georgios comes from the adjacent chapel.Today it is a museum.                                

THE BYZANTINE PUBLIC BATH

The Byzantine Public Bath of the upper Town in Thessaloniki, is the only bath that has survived from the many baths of Byzantine Thessaloniki it is the biggest and most intact Byzantine Bath in the Greek area. Built in the late 12th  century  and early 13th  century it has functionation continuously until 1940. Maintenance and restoration works were launched on purpose to be visited again in 2015. It is one of the monuments on the list of world Heritage sites of UNESKO and one of the most important sights of the city.

THE WALLS OF THESALONIKI

The walls of Thessalonika are an important part of fortification. 

The first fortification of the city played an important role in the formation of the city starting from the 3rd century.

The Byzantine fortifications helped to banish the enemies from the north. At time have been found inscriptions. 

The first is rated in the fifth or sixth century. The second informs us that archibishop Eusebius advocated fortifications of Thessaloniki. 

The third is aged between 10th and 13th century and informs us about the work performed in the fourth walls. 

The inscription informs us about an extra section near the sea and near the white tower in 1316 dated. 

Today the monument is under the Ephorate Byzantine antiquities of Thessaloniki. 

ΝΑΟΣ ΑΓΙΑΣ ΑΙΚΑΤΕΡΙΝΗΣ

Ο Ναός της Αγίας Αικατερίνης βρίσκεται στο βορειοδυτικό τμήμα της Άνω πόλης θεσσαλονίκης.Βρίσκεται  βόρεια της οδού Άγιου Δημήτριου κοντά στα βυζαντινά τοίχοι.Είναι κτισμένα χαρακτηριστικά της λεγόμενης <<Μακεδονικής  σχολής .>> Ο κεντρικός τρούλος του ναού στηρίζεται πάνω σε σχήμα σταυρού. Ο ναός έχει συνολικά 5 τρούλους.Ένα από τα κύρια χαρακτηριστικά του ναού είναι περίτεχνες τοιχοποιίες εξωτερικά .Το ίδιο ενδιαφέρον παρουσιάζουν και οι τοιχογραφίες του εσωτερικού του που είχαν σοβατιστεί από τους Τούρκους όταν μετέτρεψαν  τον ναό σε Μουσουλμανικό τζαμί με το όνομα <<Γιάγκου πάσα Τζαμί>>.Αυτό το μικρό μέρος τον αρχαίων τοιχογραφιών χρονολογείτε στις αρχε του 14α αιώνα γύρο στα 1315-1325.Το1938 ο ναός εντάχτηκε ως βυζαντινό μουσείο Θεσσαλονίκης.

THE ARCH

 

One of the most characteristic monuments of Thessaloniki is the triumphal Arch of the Galerius the upperside of the Via Egnatia. The Arch has over many sculptures. It was constructed shortly before 305a.d. to commemorate the Roman Emperor Galerius after his victory over the Persians.


D.M.