Macedonians and Martyrs
Wednesday 24th November 2021 – Thessaloniki, Greece
Evidently, the full rainbow on the way back to the ship yesterday didn’t count for much because the weather today started cold, grey and showery, with a temperature that never rose above 12c (54f). So it was in a way fortunate that I got the time wrong for my all-day tour because we couldn’t even see Mount Olympus for the low cloud and 7-hours traipsing round a load of old ruins in the drizzle might not have been the best way to spend the day.
Instead, I opted for the complimentary 4-hour sightseeing tour of the city, the second largest in all Greece and the capital of Greek Macedonia.
There’s a strong Byzantine influence here and our first stop was the White Tower, rebuilt by the Ottomans in 1430 on the site of a Byzantine tower in the sea-walls. The irony is that it isn’t white (of course); it was only called that after it stopped being used as a prison and was whitewashed in 1912. But while the whitewash didn’t stick, the name did.
Next was the obligatory viewpoint at the Trigonion Tower in the old Byzantine upper city walls. Unlike Dubrovnik, for instance, the walls are not complete and only short sections can be walked. This is where we did not see Mount Olympus!
This rather grand looking church is the Church of Saint Pavlos, dedicated to St Paul the Apostle who travelled here in 49ad. In spite of its apparent Byzantine style, it is relatively new, having been consecrated in 1997.
The church of Saint Demetrios of Thessaloniki is a 5-aisled basilica dating from and dedicated to the 4th century christian martyr imprisoned in an old Roman bath-house and later executed for his faith.
Demetrios is the city’s patron saint but the church was destroyed in a huge fire in 1917 which destroyed a vast section of the city. It took years to be re-built but was finally reconsecrated in 1949.
However, the excavations necessary revealed an old crypt and the original bath-house in which Demetrios was executed.
The church holds a sarcophagus shrine but no remains, although there is a rather creepy story about remains emitting divine liquid and a well with healing waters – you know, the usual sort of thing….
The Archaeological Museum was our next stop and a tour of an exhibition of precious gold and silver artefacts and jewellery, including a number of unusual head-wreaths.
This head-wreath, originating from this area, apparently appeared on the Black Market and was acquired by the Getty Foundation but later returned to it’s just and rightful owners – unlike certain other famous artefacts, our guide was quick to point out!
This area of northern Greece was once rich in gold and silver mines and while it is all exhausted now, King Philip II of Macedonia is claimed to have issued the first gold coins; he was also the father of Alexander the Great. There is a monument to him on the waterfront.
