PRIMARY SCHOOL OF ANATOLIKO THESSALONIKI

OUR CITY AND ITS MONUMENTS

The White Tower (by Yiannis)

The White Tower was built on the seafront of Thessaloniki in the 15th century. It is unknown who built it. It is made of stones and cement. They built it to be a fortress and a prison. Today it is used as a museum and it is one of the most beautiful historical buildings in Thessaloniki. A story says that once a prisoner offered to paint it white so as not to be executed and that’s why we call it “White” Tower.

Eptapyrgio (by Maria)

Eptapyrgio was built on the north-eastern corner of the acropolis of Thessaloniki. We are not sure when it was built. Some say it was built in the 4th century and some that it was built in the 9th century. It was the city’s fortress. In the late 19th century it was converted into a prison. The view of the city from the main gate of the walls (Portara) is amazing.

The Arch of Galerius (Kamara) by Olympia

Kamara was built in the 4th century A.D. It was built on Egnatia street with marble, tiles and concrete. It was built to honour the emperor Galerius who returned as a victor in the town of Thessaloniki after a battle with the Persians. Kamara is opposite Rotonda which is another one of the most important monuments of Thessaloniki.

OTE Tower (by Polyxeni)

The OTE Tower is in the center of Thessaloniki. Alexandros Anastasiadis designed it and it was built in 1970. It is a metal construction and it was used to broadcast a Greek television network. Today it is used by a cellular mobile network and it is also a restaurant and a café. They say the coffee offered in OTE Tower is one of the most expensive in Greece.

Aristotelous Square (by Zoe)

Aristotelous Square is the main city square of Thessaloniki. It is located on Nikis Avenue on the city’s waterfront in the city center. It was designed by the French architect Ernest Hébrard in 1918, but most of the square was built in the 1950s. It is a place full of cafés and restaurants and it is a central meeting point.

Church of Saint Demetrius (by Stelios)

The church of Saint Demetrius is on St. Demetrius Street. It was built in 413 AD by Illiricou Leontios, a Roman prefect. Illiricou Leontios was sick and Saint Demetrius cured him and Illiricou Leontios built the church to honour the saint. Today it is still used as a church.

Church of Holy Wisdom (Agia Sophia) (by Argyris)

This church was built in the centre of Thessaloniki in the 7th century. It was built to honour the Holy Wisdom. The church inside is spacious, covered with a dome 10 meters in diameter. It has also beautiful mosaics. Outside the church is Agia Sophia Square, one of the most important squares in Thessaloniki. The church of Holy Wisdom is used as a church today.

Vlatadon Monastery (by Nikos)

Vlatadon Monastery was built in 1400 AD. Dorotheos and Markos Vlattis built it in the Upper Town of Thessaloniki. Today it is an active monastery with a huge collection of Byzantine religious icons.

Modiano Market (by Antonis)

Madiano Market is in the centre of Thessaloniki. It was built in 1922 by the architect Eli Modiano. The building's roof is made of glass and the architecture, although quite simple, is interesting as it resembles some Parisian markets. The day of its opening they served champagne and black caviar to the guests. Most of the shops in Modiano market are food stores that sell spices, cheese, fish, meat, delicatessen products and so on. You can also find some small tavernas, restaurants and bars here.

Thessaloniki International Fair (by Dionysis)

The Thessaloniki International Fair is an annual commercial exhibition event of great importance in Greece and Southeastern Europe. It takes place at the 180,000m² Thessaloniki International Exhibition Center in Thessaloniki, Greece. The fair was first held in 1926 and today it is organised by HELEXPO. In 1926, Christos Tsigiridis did the first radio broadcast in Greece from the International Fair premises. The photo shows the building of the National Theatre of Northern Greece and at the end of N. Germanou street the OTE Tower and part of the International Fairgrounds.

The Hippodrome (by Anastasis)

The emperor Galerius built the hippodrome in the 4th century AD. It was built next to the palace. It was located in the centre of Thessaloniki in a square named today ‘Hippodrome Square’. The last horse races took place at the end of the 5th century AD. Nowadays, nothing from the old Hippodrome has been preserved.

In the photos you can see remains of the palace next to which the hippodrome used to be.

Rotonda (by Natalie)

Rotonda was built in 304 AD on the orders of the tetrarch Galerius. Rotonda is a circular building and it has a diameter of 24.5 m. Its walls are more than 6 m thick. Today it is an UNESCO Heritage site and it is used as a church, too.

In the photos you can see Rotonda and details from the remnants of Rotonda mosaics.