Victory in Thessaly, the Story of a Greek City

Thessaloniki was founded in 315 BC by the King Cassander of Macedon, who named it after his wife Thessalonike - the daughter of king Philip II of Macedon. Thessalonike was born after Philip II won the battle over his southern neighbours in Thessaly. According to the legend, the king's words were: "Let her be called victory in Thessaly". So, the name is the combination of Thessaly + Niki, which means victory. During the early Christian period Thessaloniki was the commercial and spiritual centre not only for Macedonia, but also for the whole Balkan Peninsula.

After the Roman conquest in 146 BC, Thessaloniki growth was even more rapid, and this reflected in its architectural looks (the Roman Forum is a good example). Many renowned Romans lived in the city: statesman Cicero, the celebrated commander Pompey, and emperor Galerius. The latter turned Thessaloniki into his capital and a number of structures appeared on its territory during his reign: such are the Arch and Tomb of Galerius (the Rotunda), most often called the "Kamara", which commemorates the ruler's victory over the Sassanid Persians. St. Paul the Apostle founded one of the first European Christian communities here. As for the times of the Byzantine empire, Thessaloniki remained a prosperous place.

After 904, when the city was ravaged by the Saracen pirates, it faced a period of misfortunes. It was conquered by the Norsemen, then the Francs, the Turks, Venetians and again the Turks, who held their positions there until the first First Balkan War, when Thessaloniki reunited with its native country – Greece. Then there was the Great Fire in 1917, after which the city had to be reconstructed from the very beginning, an earthquake of 1978, and, finally, good news - in 1997 the city became the European City of Culture. The name is well-earned, since lots of cultural events are organised in Thessaloniki every year. Some call Acropolis in Athens the museum under the blue sky; as for Salonica, it could be called the treasury of the Byzantine arts. One of its treasures are the Church of Panayia Halkeion and The Church of Saint Demetrius.

White Tower of Thessaloniki is the symbol of Thessaloniki, It was built by the Turks in XIV-XV, initially was fort, then served as a prison and even acquired the name of the "Tower of Blood." The Church of Agios Georgios, or the above-mentioned Rotunda, attracts tourists with its mosaics and unusual looks.

The Church of Saint Demetrius was constructed at about 500 AC, and is dedicated to Saint Demetrius, the patron saint of Thessaloniki. The church was damaged during the fire, but was later well reconstructed, - some mosaics can still be seen there.

Also don't miss a visit to the Thessaloniki Archaeological Museum with many interesting things to discover.