Seeing The Great City Of Thessaloniki

by garrett on February 16, 2012

Greece is country that is full of history and archaeological finds. Athens is its capitol and his frequently visited. However, Greece also has another equally prosperous city. Thessaloniki is 2,300 year old city and is also the second largest in the country of Greece. It was deemed the Co-Reigning city during the Byzantine Empire as it was the co-capital alongside Constantinople. In order to visit this beautiful city rich in history be sure to start applying for a U.S. passport if you don’t already have a passport in your possession.

Passports

Passports act as permission for international travel. Without a passport international travel is prohibited. They are doled out by the Department of State after a rigorous application process. Although detailed the process for obtaining a passport is much easier than it used to be. Today online passport applications and technology make getting a United States passport much more accessible.

History Of Thessaloniki

In 315 B.C.E the great city of Thessaloniki was founded by King Cassander of Macedon. He deemed his find Thessaloniki after his wife Thessalonike. She was the half sister of Alexander the Great and the princess of Macedon. The city of Thessaloniki was very prosperous and eventually because a major trading port. It also acted as a capital for one of the four Roman districts of Macedonia.

Archaeological Sites

With such a long history there are many archaeological sites in Thessaloniki. The city features the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the country of Greece. Alongside these heritage sites are many other prominent archaeological sites including the Roman baths, gladiatorial theatres, and the great throne room just to name a few.

Protected Sites

Thessaloniki was very important during the early Christian and byzantine eras; this has lead to numerous sites that serve as monuments to these periods. The city hosted the Complex of Roman emperor Galerius as well as the first church of Hagios Demetrios. The World Heritage Sites include the Hagia Sophia of Thessaloniki the Rotunda of Saint George, the Church of Acheiropoietos, and the Church of Panagia Chalkeon.

Ancient Monuments

In 1430 the Ottoman Empire took control of the city, this lead to the conversion of the city’s churches to mosques. The sites survived however, and even survived the Great Thessaloniki Fire of 1917. During the Second World War Thessaloniki was bombed relentlessly. However, they have since been restored and to date Thessaloniki has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other city in Greece, including Athens. They have a total of 15 monuments.

Museums

There are numerous museums in Thessaloniki to house the artifacts and archaeological finds associated with the ancient city. The most prominent museums are the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki and the Museum of Byzantine Culture. Other museums include the War Museum, the Sports Museum, and the Photography Museum. In addition to these museums there are also many others that feature artifacts from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age. Thessaloniki also has the largest planetarium in Greece.

The historic city of Thessaloniki has much to offer in the venues of history and architecture as well as beauty. For these reasons it is definitely a city that must be visited when in Greece. The city will soon be a featured port for many cruise lines. This will make it much more accessible. By applying for a pass port or taking care of any other passport needs that may arise you can visit the great co-reigning city of Thessaloniki.

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