Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki, commonly referred to as Salonica, is Greece's second-largest city and the administrative capital of Central Macedonia. Located on the Thermaic Gulf along the northwest Aegean coast, it is a major urban, economic, and cultural hub in northern Greece.

Founded in 315 BCE by Cassander and named after Thessalonike, the wife of Cassander, the city developed as a major urban center under the Roman and Byzantine Empires and later flourished under Ottoman rule. It became part of the modern Greek state in 1912. A devastating fire in 1917 destroyed large parts of the historic center, prompting extensive rebuilding in the 20th century.

Key historic sites include the White Tower, the Rotunda, and the Arch of Galerius, while the medieval Ano Poli, the old town, preserves early urban fabric. The Hagia Sophia (Hagia Sofia) is a prominent Byzantine church dating from the 7th century. The city’s waterfront, Aristotelous Square, and the Ladadika district are central to its contemporary life.

Thessaloniki is a major port city; the Port of Thessaloniki is among the largest in the Aegean and supports diversified commerce and industry. The city is a hub of education and culture, anchored by Aristotle University (founded 1925) and a range of museums, including the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki and the Museum of Byzantine Culture. It hosts the Thessaloniki International Film Festival and is known for a lively culinary and intellectual scene. Football clubs PAOK and Aris are prominent in local sport.

Demographically the metropolitan area is home to roughly one million people; the city experiences a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.