It was founded in about 315 B.C., on a site of old prehistoric settlements going back to 2300 B.C., by Cassander, King of Macedonia, and was named after his wife, Thessaloniki, sister of Alexander The Great. Since then, Thessaloniki has become the chief city of Macedonia and its most important commercial port. In Roman times it was visited by Saint Paul, who preached the new religion, and who later addressed his two well-known epistles (the oldest written documents of Christian literature) to the Christians of Thessaloniki.

Monuments

Among the numerous monuments of particular interest in the city are those from the Roman period,the Triumphal Arch of Galerius and the Rotonda.Thessaloniki is, however, famous for its Byzantine period, being second only to Constantinople itself. Its many churches whose fine mosaics and frescos are representative of various periods of Byzantine art have survived to enhance the image of the city. They include St.Demetrius, Panagia Acheiropoietius, the Holy Apostles, St Sophia, St. Catherine, Panagia Chalkeon, St. Nicholas the Orphan, the Prophet Eljiah, and the Monastery of Vlatadon. Large sections of the city-walls are also still standing, together with one of their main bastions, the well-known White Tower. Noteworthy from a national spiritual and artistic viewpoint are also the continuing strong links between the city of Thessaloniki and Mount Athos.

Modern Architecture

The modern era of material and cultural development in Thessaloniki dates from its liberation in 1912, when Thessaloniki became the capital city of Northern Greece. The Ministry of Northern Greece, the Cathedral, the Court of Justice in addition to other governmental institutions, are situated today in the city. The city today has two quite distinct sectors: the 'old town', continuously undergoing reconstruction, and the modern sector, whose many modern buildings are examples of advanced architecture.

Cultural Life

In addition to the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, there are numerous institutions that contribute to the academic and cultural life of the city. Among them are the University of Macedonia, the Archaeological and Byzantine Museums, the Folklore Museum, the State Conservatory, Theatres and Orchestras, the Society of Macedonian Studies, the Institute of Balkan Studies and other cultural and artistic institutions.

Today!

 
Thessaloniki is a thriving city and one of the most important trade and communications centers in Mediterranean. This is evident from its financial and commercial activities, its port with its special Free Zone, which provides facilities to the other Balkan countries, its International Airport, its important industrial complex, its annual International Trade Fair, etc.