Communing with the Gods...Thessaloniki and Litochoro (September 4-6, 2013)

The White Tower

After settling into the apartment in Yambol, Lane and I decided to do some travelling before school starts.  We decided to go to Thessaloniki, a place I have always wanted to visit since reading Mark Mazower's Salonika: City of Ghosts. The city has a long and interesting history which I will not discuss in this post, but at one point it was part of Bulgaria.

Lane and I travelled to Sophia first, then took a bus from Sophia to Thessaloniki.  The ride was pretty but very long. Once we arrived, we settled into our minimalist hotel and then walked along Nikis Avenue, a promenade that runs parallel to the Old Beach.  From here, we were able to see The White Tower.  Along the way we found a sea food restaurant with awesome food and friendly waiters.  I ordered grilled squid, which arrived as a whole squid on a plate, stuffed with feta and tomatoes.  It was a dinner of epic proportions!

The next day, we headed to Litochoro,

Mount Olympus National Park

home of Mount Olympus National Park. Lane really wanted to go so he could moon Zeus and the rest of the Gods. Well, it didn't quite happen that way, seeing as how the mountain is actually a pretty far hike.  Afterwards, we headed back into town and stopped for some gyros, which were way too big for either of us.  They also served a desert of yogurt, candied apples, honey, and cinnomen that proved to be pretty amazing.

Church of St. Demetrios

We spent the entire next day in Thessaloniki,  visiting what seemed like dozens of old churches.  First up was the Church of St. Demetrios, the patron saint of the city. Originally built during the 5th it has been destroyed by earthquakes and fires, but each time rebuilt.  After the fall of Constantinople, it was converted to a mosque. Although the inside of the church is quite nice, the crypt exhibits a fascinating collection of sculptures from the temple throughout history. 

Church of Agia Sophia

Next up-Church of Agia Sophia.  Dedicated to the Wisdom of God rather than a particular saint, this domed basilica belongs to the Byzantine era.  Built in the 7th century it has many frescoes and mosaics.  Sadly, we were not able to go inside, although we aren't really sure why.

Inside The Rotunda
St. George Church

Of all of the churches in Thessaloniki, it is the Rotunda of St. George that resonated with me the most, perhaps because of its fascintating history.  The Rotunda can trace its origins back to 300 AD, when it was part of a larger building complex established by Galerius Ceasar.  Erected as a temple to Zeus, it became a Christian church, then turned into a mosque after the arrival of the Ottomans, and then turned back into a church.  It is during this last conversion that it was dedicated to St. George.  There isn't much to see on the inside since it is currently under restoration.  However, you can still see remnants of the frescoes that used to be there.  Although it sits largely empty save the scaffolding, I very much enjoyed my visit. This may be because it is so rare to see a bare bones structure.

Reliefs on the Arch of Galerius

One of the coolest things about Thessaloniki is its many structures left over from the Roman Empire.  One of these is The Roman Agora.  Constructed from the 2nd to the 5th century, it functioned as the administrative center of the city and housed a conservatory, a public bath, shops, and galleries.  The Arch of Galerius dates from the 4th century to commemorate the emperor's vicorious return from the war against the Persians.  The Arch is covered in beautiful reliefs depicting many different scenes.

There is so much to write about I can hardly contain it all in one post.  Next up, Lane and I take the night bus to Istanbul!

Ruins of the Roman Agora