7. The Rotunda

It's time to discover one of Thessaloniki's oldest and most iconic monuments, which – over more than 17 centuries – has been home to three religions... the ancient Greek Pantheon, Christianity and Islam. This is none other than the Rotunda. 

The Rotunda is an impressive circular building constructed around 306 AD during the reign of Caesar Galerius, architecturally resembling Rome's Pantheon. 

When Galerius chose Thessaloniki as his seat, he set about transforming it into a major administrative centre of the Roman Empire, and the Rotunda was part of what is today known as the Galerius Palace Complex that included a grand palace, the Kamara (known today as the Arch of Galerius), a colonnaded ceremonial road that lead from the Rotunda to the palace, and a Hippodrome.

There are various theories about the original purpose of the Rotunda. One suggests that it was built as a temple dedicated to Zeus or Kabeiros, while another suggests that Galerius intended it as his mausoleum. But if it was indeed meant as his mausoleum, it was never used for that purpose, as Galerius died and was buried far from Thessaloniki. The monument has a diameter of 24.5 metres and a height of 29.8 metres, with walls 6.3 metres thick. Inside, the Rotunda’s mosaics and vast domed space create a striking effect.

Equally striking is that the Rotunda has hosted three different religions in its long and varied history. With the rise of Christianity, it was converted into a Christian church, probably dedicated to the Asomatoi or Archangels. During this period, significant alterations were made, such as the addition of an apse on the eastern side and the decoration of the interior with mosaics. During the Ottoman period, from 1524, it served as Thessaloniki’s metropolitan church, after the cathedral of Agia Sophia had been converted into a mosque. In around 1590 or 1591, it was converted into a mosque by Sheikh Suleyman Hortaji Effendi, at which time the minaret – the only one still standing in Thessaloniki – was added. 

After the liberation of Thessaloniki from the Ottomans in 1912, the Rotunda returned to Christian worship. From 1920, however, it was mainly used as a museum space, and in 1988 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Today, the Rotunda is one of Thessaloniki’s most important and impressive monuments, and the streets around it are known as Thessaloniki's ultimate student area, full of cafes, bars, restaurants and traditional mezedopoleia – tavernas specialising in meze.

Just a few steps from the Rotunda is the Byzantine Church of Saint Panteleimon, dating back to the early 14th century. It is a prime example of architecture from the Palaiologan Renaissance, the final flourishing period of Byzantine art. It is another of Thessaloniki’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, due to its significance as a testament to Byzantine art and architecture.