Hagia Sophia, Thessaloniki

**Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika**
UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Hagia Sophia
Location	Thessaloniki, Municipality of Thessaloniki, Greece
Coordinates	40°37′58″N 22°56′49″E / 40.632865°N 22.946818°E / 40.632865; 22.946818
Criteria	i, ii, iv
Reference	456
Inscription	1988 (12th Session)
Location of Hagia Sophia, Thessaloniki
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The Hagia Sophia (Greek: Ἁγία Σοφία, Holy Wisdom) in Thessaloniki, Greece, is one of the oldest churches in that city still standing today. It is one of several monuments in Thessaloniki included as a World Heritage Site on the UNESCO list.

History

Since the 3rd century, there was a church in the location of the current Hagia Sophia. In the 8th century, the present structure was erected, based on the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (present-day Istanbul, Turkey). In 1205, when the Fourth Crusade captured the city, the Hagia Sophia was converted into the cathedral of Thessaloniki, which it remained after the city was returned to the Byzantine Empire in 1246. After the capture of Thessaloniki by the Ottoman Sultan Murad II on 29 March 1430, the church was converted into a mosque.^[1] It was reconverted to a church upon the liberation of Thessaloniki in 1912.

Interior view

Its ground plan is that of a domed Greek cross basilica. Together with the Gül and the Kalenderhane Mosques in Istanbul and the destroyed Church of the Dormition in Nicaea, it represents one of the main architectural examples of this type, typical of the Byzantine middle period.^[2]

In the Iconoclastic era, the apse of the church was embellished with plain gold mosaics with only one great cross, similarly to the Hagia Irene in Constantinople and the Church of the Dormition in Nicaea. The cross was substituted with the image of the Theotokos (God-bearer, or Mary) in 787-797 after the victory of the Iconodules. The mosaic in the dome now represents the Ascension with the inscription from Acts 1:11 "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?". The dome is ringed by the figures of all Twelve Apostles, Mary and two angels.

Between 1907 and 1909 byzantine historian Charles Diehl restorated the whole building that underwent many damages during a fire in 1890. Much of the interior decoration was plastered over after the Great Thessaloniki Fire of 1917. The dome was not restored until 1980.^[3]

Gallery

View from Agias Sofias Square
Backside view
Entrance
Interior
The dome with the impressive mosaic (9th century)
Fresco (9th)
Mosaic (9th)
The mosaic of the arch (11th)
Iconostasis
Iconostasis, close view
Icon of the church
Painting

References

↑ UNESCO, Advisory Body Evaluation, World Heritage List No. 456
↑ Krautheimer,317
↑ Ayía Sofía

Bibliography

Krautheimer, Richard (1986). Architettura paleocristiana e bizantina (in Italian). Einaudi, Turin.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Church of Holy Wisdom, Thessaloniki.

Landmarks of Thessaloniki
Macedonian period	Agios Athanasios tombs
Roman period	Arch of Galerius and Rotunda Navarinou Square Roman Forum Catacombs of Thessaloniki
Paleochristian and Byzantine	Agias Sofias Square Byzantine Bath Church of the Acheiropoietos Church of the Holy Apostles Church of Hosios David Church of Panagia Chalkeon Church of Saint Catherine Church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos Church of Saint Panteleimon Church of Prophet Elijah Hagios Demetrios Hagia Sophia Rotunda Walls of Thessaloniki
Ottoman period	Alaca Imaret Mosque Upper Town Bey Hamam Fountain Square Karipeion Melathron Konak New Mosque White Tower of Thessaloniki
Modern period	Alexandreio Melathron Aristotelous Square Gregory Palamas Metropolis Kaftanzoglio Stadium Ladadika Modiano Market National Theatre of Northern Greece OTE Tower Port of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki Concert Hall
Streets	Egnatia Street Nikis Avenue Tsimiski Street Vasilissis Olgas Street
Villas/Mansions	Villa Allatini Villa Bianca Villa M.Kapanci Villa A.Kapanci Villa Modiano Villa Mordoch Gategno-Florentin mansion Longos mansion Palataki
Gardens/Parks	Nea Paralia (Thessaloniki)
Museums	Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki Atatürk Museum Balkan Wars Museum Museum of Byzantine Culture Cinema Museum Museum of Ancient Greek, Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Instruments Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki Museum for the Macedonian Struggle NOESIS Museum of Photography Railway Museum Teloglion Foundation of Art War Museum
Events	Thessaloniki International Film Festival Thessaloniki International Trade Fair Thessaloniki Song Festival (not active)

Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki
UNESCO	Arch of Galerius and Rotunda Byzantine Bath Church of the Acheiropoietos Church of Hagios Demetrios Church of St. Catherine Hagia Sophia Church of the Holy Apostles Vlatades Monastery Church of St. Nicholas Orphanos Church of Panagia Chalkeon Church of St. Panteleimon Church of the Saviour Church of Prophet Elijah Church of Hosios David (Latomos Monastery) City Walls
Other	Baptistery of St. John the Baptist Cemetery Basilica Church of St. George Heptapyrgion
Museums	Museum of Byzantine Culture Museum of Byzantine Instruments

World Heritage Sites in Greece
North	Aigai Mount Athos Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki City Walls Rotunda Church of the Acheiropoietos Church of Saint Demetrios Latomou Monastery Church of Hagia Sophia Church of Panagia Chalkeon Church of Saint Panteleimon Church of the Holy Apostles Church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos Church of Saint Catherine Church of the Saviour Vlatades Monastery Church of Prophet Elijah Byzantine Bath Philippi
Central	Delphi Hosios Loukas Meteora Old Town of Corfu
Attica	Acropolis of Athens Daphni Monastery
South	Epidaurus Mycenae and Tiryns Lion Gate Treasury of Atreus Mystras Olympia Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae
Aegean Islands	Delos Medieval city of Rhodes Grand Master's Palace Fortifications Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse Nea Moni of Chios Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos

Coordinates: 40°37′58.24″N 22°56′49.54″E / 40.6328444°N 22.9470944°E / 40.6328444; 22.9470944

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