Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki historically also known every bit Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest urban heart inward Hellenic Republic together with the uppercase of the periphery of Central Macedonia as good every bit the uppercase of the Decentralized Administration of Republic of Macedonia together with Thrace. Its honorific championship is Συμπρωτεύουσα (Symprotévousa), literally "co-capital", a reference to its historical condition every bit the Συμβασιλεύουσα (Symvasilévousa) or "co-reigning" urban heart of the Byzantine Empire, amongst Constantinople.

Ancient Greek inscription reading "To Queen Thessalonice, (Daughter) of Philip".

According to the 2014 census the municipality of Thessaloniki today has a population of 322,240, spell the Thessaloniki Urban Area (the contiguous built upwards expanse forming the "City of Thessaloniki") has a population of 790,824; making it the 5th largest together with most populated urban heart inward the Balkans together with the mo most populated urban heart that is non a capital. The Thessaloniki Metropolitan Area extends over an expanse of 1,455.62 km2 (562.02 sq mi) together with its population inward 2014 reached a full of 1,006,730 inhabitants.

The Roman forum.

Thessaloniki is Greece's mo major economic, industrial, commercial together with political centre, together with a major transportation hub for the residual of southeastern Europe; its commercial port is also of swell importance for Hellenic Republic together with the southeastern European hinterland. The urban heart is renowned for its festivals, events together with vibrant cultural life inward general, together with is considered to live Greece's cultural capital. Events such every bit the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair together with the Thessaloniki International Film Festival are held annually, spell the urban heart also hosts the largest bi-annual coming together of the Greek diaspora.

The School of Education of Aristotle University.

Thessaloniki is domicile to numerous notable Byzantine monuments, including the Paleochristian together with Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, every bit good every bit several Roman, Ottoman together with Sephardic Jewish structures. With a history of over 2,300 years, it is i of Europe's oldest cities. The city's primary university, Aristotle University, is the largest inward Hellenic Republic together with inward the Balkans

Panoramic thought of Aristotelous Square, i of Thessaloniki's most recognizable areas, which was designed past times Ernest Hebrard.

Climate

Situated adjacent to the sea, the city's climate is remove effected past times it. The urban heart has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification "Csa") that borders on a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification "BSk" or "BSh" depending on the organization used) with annual average atmospheric precipitation of 460 mm. Snowfalls are sporadic, but go on to a greater extent than or less every winter. Fog is mutual inward the city, with an average of 193 foggy days inward a year.

The Acropolis of Thessaloniki, reconstructed during the Byzantine together with Ottoman years, which is role of the Walls.

The urban heart lies inward a transitional climatic zone, together with then its climate displays characteristics of continental together with Mediterranean climates. Winters are relatively dry, with mutual morning time frost. Snowfalls occur almost every year, but unremarkably the snowfall does non rest for to a greater extent than than a few days. During the coldest winters, temperatures tin lavatory driblet to −10°C (14F). The tape minimum temperature inward Thessaloniki was −14°C (7F).On average, Thessaloniki spends 32 days a twelvemonth below 0°C (32F). The coldest calendar month of the twelvemonth inward the urban heart is January, with an average 24-hour temperature of 6°C (42F). Wind is also common inward the wintertime months, with Dec together with Jan having an average current of air speed of 26 km/h (16 mph).

Typical architecture of the Ano Poli (Upper Town) district.

Thessaloniki's summers are hot with rather humid nights. Maximum temperatures unremarkably rising to a higher identify 30°C (86F), but rarely perish over 40C° (104F); the average publish of days when temperature was to a higher identify 32°C (90F) was 32. The maximum recorded temperature inward the urban heart was 42°C (108F). Rain is seldom inward summer, together with mainly falls during thunderstorms. In the summertime months Thessaloniki also experiences potent oestrus waves. The hottest calendar month of the twelvemonth inward the urban heart is July, with an average 24-hour temperature of 26°C (80F).The average current of air speed for June together with July inward Thessaloniki is xx km/h (12 mph).

View from Thessaloniki's Ano Poli together with its walls. Part of southeastern Thessaloniki tin lavatory also live seen on the left

Cityscape

Arch

Architecture inward Thessaloniki is the remove termination of the city's seat at the centre of all historical developments inward the Balkans. Aside from its commercial importance, Thessaloniki was also for many centuries, the military machine together with administrative hub of the region, together with beyond this the transportation link betwixt Europe together with the Levant (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, together with State of Israel / Palestine). Merchants, traders together with refugees from all over Europe settled inward the city. The bespeak for commercial together with populace buildings inward this novel era of prosperity led to the construction of large edifices inward the urban heart center. During this time, the urban heart saw the edifice of banks, large hotels, theatres, warehouses, together with factories.

The church building of Hagios Demetrios, built inward the fourth century, is said to live the largest basilica inward Hellenic Republic together with is i of the city's most prominent Paleochristian monuments

The urban heart layout changed subsequently 1870, when the seaside fortifications gave means to extensive piers, together with many of the oldest walls of the urban heart were demolished, including those surrounding the White Tower, which today stands every bit the primary landmark of the city. As parts of the early on Byzantine walls were demolished, this allowed the urban heart to expand due east together with due west along the coast.

The expansion of Eleftherias Square towards the body of body of water completed the novel commercial hub of the urban heart together with at the fourth dimension was considered i of the most vibrant squares of the city. As the urban heart grew, workers moved to the western districts, due to their proximity close factories together with industrial activities; spell the middle together with upper classes gradually moved from the city-center to the eastern suburbs, leaving mainly businesses. In 1917, a devastating give the axe swept through the urban heart together with burned uncontrollably for 32 hours. It destroyed the city's historic pump together with a large role of its architectural heritage, but paved means for many modern buildings together with changed the urban heart into a thriving European urban heart center.

The upper seaside promenade every bit it was earlier operate commenced inward August 2014

City Center

After the Great Thessaloniki Fire of 1917, a squad of architects together with urban planners including Thomas Mawson together with Ernest Hebrard, a French architect, chose the Byzantine era every bit the footing of their (re)building designs for Thessaloniki’s urban heart center. The novel urban heart programme included axes, diagonal streets together with monumental squares, with a street grid that would channel traffic smoothly. The programme of 1917 included provisions for hereafter population expansions together with a street together with route network that would be, together with yet is sufficient today. It contained sites for populace buildings together with provided for the restoration of Byzantine churches together with Ottoman mosques.

The MS Westerdam at the port of Thessaloniki.

Today the urban heart pump of Thessaloniki includes the features designed every bit role of the programme together with forms the indicate inward the urban heart where most of the populace buildings, historical sites, amusement venues together with stores are located. The pump is characterized past times its many historical buildings, arcades, laneways together with distinct architectural styles such every bit Art Nouveau together with Art Deco, which tin lavatory live seen on many of its buildings.

The edifice of the National Bank of Greece.

The urban heart center, or every bit its also called the historic pump is divided into several districts, of which include Ladadika (where many amusement venues together with tavernas are located), Kapani (where the primal urban heart marketplace is located), Diagonios, Nauarinou, Rotonta, Agia Sofia together with Ippodromio (white tower), which are all located approximately Thessaloniki’s most primal point, Aristotelous Square.

Thessaloniki's former marketplace (Kapani), inward the urban heart centre

The due west indicate of the urban heart pump is domicile to Thessaloniki's police courts, its primal international railway station together with the port, spell on its eastern side stands the city’s 2 universities, the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Center, the city’s primary stadium, its archaeological together with Byzantine museums, the novel urban heart hall together with its primal parklands together with gardens, namely those of the Palios Zoologikos Kipos together with Pedio tou Areos. The primal route arteries that go past times through the urban heart center, designed inward the Ernest Hebrard plan, include those of Tsimiski, Egnatia, Nikis, Mitropoleos, Venizelou together with St. Demetrius avenues.

Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki.

Ano Poli

Ano Poli (also called Old Town together with literally the Upper Town) is the heritage listed district due north of Thessaloniki’s urban heart pump that was non engulfed past times the swell give the axe of 1917 together with was declared a UNESCO heritage site past times ministerial actions of Melina Merkouri, during the 1980s. It consists of Thessaloniki’s most traditional role of the city, yet featuring little rock paved streets, former squares together with homes featuring former Greek together with Ottoman architecture.

Olympion Theater inward Aristotelous Square

Ano Poli also, is the highest indicate inward Thessaloniki together with every bit such, is the location of the city’s acropolis, its Byzantine fort, the Heptapyrgion together with the city's remaining walls, with many of its additional Ottoman together with Byzantine structures yet standing. The expanse provides access to the Seich Sou Forest National Park together with features amphitheatric views of the whole urban heart together with the Thermaic Gulf. On clear days Mount Olympus, at nearly 100 km (62 mi) away across the gulf, tin lavatory also live seen towering the horizon.

Makedonia Palace at night

Southeastern Thessaloniki

Southeastern Thessaloniki upwards until the 1920s was domicile to the city’s most affluent residents together with formed the outermost suburbs of the urban heart at the time, with the expanse unopen to the Thermaic Gulf coast called Exoches, pregnant ‘the countryside’. Today southeastern Thessaloniki has inward someway perish a natural extension of the urban heart center, with the avenues of Megalou Alexandrou, Georgiou Papandreou (Antheon), Vasilisis Olgas, Delfon, Konstantinou Karamanli (Nea Egnatia) together with Papanastasiou passing through it; together with the expanse extending to Kalamaria together with Pylaia, nearly nine km (5.59 mi) from the White Tower inward the urban heart centre.

Part of the coastline of the southeastern suburb of Peraia inward Thermaikos, with views towards Thessaloniki.

Southeastern Thessaloniki is characterized past times is modern architecture together with story buildings, domicile to the middle-class together with to a greater extent than than one-half of the municipality of Thessaloniki population. Today this expanse of the urban heart is also domicile to three of the city’s primary football game stadiums, the Thessaloniki concert hall, the Posidonio aquatic together with athletic complex together with to many restored mansions of past times affluent residents of the city, which today serve every bit museums or cultural centers. The municipality of Kalamaria is also located inward southeastern Thessaloniki together with has perish this role of the city’s most sought subsequently areas, with many opened upwards spaces together with domicile to high terminate bars, cafés together with amusement venues, most notably on Plastira street, along the coast.

The planetarium at the Thessaloniki Science Center together with Technology Museum.

Northwestern Thessaloniki

Northwestern Thessaloniki had ever been associated with manufacture together with the working story due to the fact that every bit the urban heart grew during the 1920s, many workers had moved there, due to its proximity close factories together with industrial activities. Today many factories together with industries get got been moved farther out due west together with the expanse is experiencing rapid increment every bit does the southeast. Many factories inward this expanse get got been converted to cultural centres, spell past times military machine grounds that are beingness surrounded past times densely built neighborhoods are awaiting transformation into parklands.

Thessaloniki Olympic Museum.

Northwest Thessaloniki forms the primary entry indicate into the urban heart of Thessaloniki with the avenues of Monastiriou, Lagkada together with 26is Septemvriou passing through it, every bit good every bit the extension of the A1 motorway, feeding into Thessaloniki's urban heart center. The expanse is domicile to the Republic of Macedonia Central Bus Station (intercity buses terminal), the Zeitenlik Allied memorial military machine cemetery together with to large amusement venues of the city, such every bit Milos, Fix, Vilka (which are housed inward converted former factories). Northwestern Thessaloniki is also domicile to Moni Lazariston, located inward Stavroupoli, which today forms i of the most of import cultural centers for the city

OTE Tower is the tallest telecommunication tower inward Greece.

Paleochristian together with Byzantine monuments (UNESCO)

Due to Thessaloniki's importance during the early on Christian together with Byzantine periods, the urban heart is host to several paleochristian monuments that get got significantly contributed to the evolution of Byzantine fine art together with architecture throughout the Byzantine Empire every bit good every bit Serbia. The evolution of Imperial Byzantine architecture together with the prosperity of Thessaloniki perish manus inward hand, peculiarly during the showtime years of the Empire, when the urban heart continued to flourish. It was at that fourth dimension that the Complex of Roman emperor Galerius was built, every bit good every bit the showtime church building of Hagios Demetrios.

The School of Philosophy of Aristotle University, the oldest edifice inward the campus

By the eighth century, the urban heart had perish an of import administrative pump of the Byzantine Empire, together with handled much of the Empire's Balkan affairs. During that time, the urban heart saw the creation of to a greater extent than notable Christian churches that are directly UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such every bit Hagia Sophia of Thessaloniki, the Rotunda of Saint George, the Church of the Acheiropoietos, the Church of Panagia Chalkeon. When the Ottoman Empire took command of Thessaloniki inward 1430, most of the city's churches were converted into mosques, but get got survived to this day. Travelers such every bit Paul Lucas together with Abdul Mecid document the city's wealth inward Christian monuments during the years of the Ottoman command of the city.

View of the railway station.

The church building of Hagios Demetrios was burnt downwards during the Great Thessaloniki Fire of 1917, every bit did many other of the city's monuments, but it was rebuilt. During the Second World War, the urban heart was extensively bombed together with every bit such many of Thessaloniki's paleochristian together with Byzantine monuments were heavily damaged. Some of the sites were non restored until the 1980s. Thessaloniki has to a greater extent than UNESCO World Heritage Sites listed than whatsoever other urban heart inward Greece, a full of xv monuments.They get got been listed since 1988.

Thessaloniki 2013 Program

The upper seaside promenade every bit it was earlier operate commenced inward August 2014.In regards to the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of Thessaloniki into Greece, during 1912, the authorities announced a large-scale redevelopment programme for the urban heart of Thessaloniki, which aims inward addressing the electrical current environmental together with spatial problems that the urban heart faces. More specifically, the programme volition drastically modify the physiognomy of the urban heart past times relocating the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Center together with grounds of the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair exterior the urban heart centre together with turning the electrical current location into a large metropolitan park, redeveloping the coastal front end of the city, relocating the city's numerous military machine camps together with using the grounds together with facilities to practice large parklands together with cultural centers; together with the consummate redevelopment of the harbor together with the Lachanokipoi together with Dendropotamos districts (behind together with close the Port of Thessaloniki) into a thriving occupation concern district,with possible highrise developments.

Macedonia International Airport passengers' terminal.

The programme also envisions the creation of novel broad avenues inward the outskirts of the urban heart together with the creation of pedestrian-only zones inward the urban heart center. Furthermore, the programme includes plans to expand the jurisdiction of Seich Sou Forest National Park together with the improvement of accessibility to together with from the Old Town. The ministry building has said that the projection volition get got an estimated xv years to live completed, inward 2025.

Commemorative stele inward Melbourne.

Part of the programme has been implemented with the revitalization of one-half the eastern urban waterfront (Greek: Νέα Παραλία, Nea Paralia, literally novel beach), with a modern together with vibrant design. The municipality of Thessaloniki's budget for the reconstruction of of import areas of the urban heart together with most notably the residual of the waterfront, is estimated to live approximately €28.2 i grand 1000 (US$39.9 million) for the twelvemonth 2014 alone. As of August 2014 operate on the residual of the programme for the revilatization of the waterfront has began, stretching from the Thessaloniki yacht lodge to the White Tower. It is estimated that the novel parks volition live completed inside the adjacent 2 years