Today celebrates St. Demetrius, the patron saint of Thessaloniki
The Church of Saint Demetrius Myrovlytou erected in the middle of the 5th century. the prefect of Illyricum, Leontio, on the tomb of the saint, who was martyred as a Christian with the military rank of proconsul for the emperor Maximian (292-311).
The Church of Saint Demetrius suffered considerable damage during the course of raids by the Saracens (AD 904) and Norman (1181 AD.). Great fire between 629 and 639 destroyed a significant part of this building. The piety of the people of Thessaloniki led by Bishop John builds anew, by increasing it. 904 The temple was plundered by the Saracens and ravished in pieces the sacred 'canopy'. Other grabbing new "Kivoriou" noted by the Normans, 281 years later, when the city was occupied 1181.
In 1493 the church was converted into a mosque by the Turks. In the northwestern part of the transferred cenotaph of the saint and isolated from the mosque. With the liberation of Thessaloniki, 1912, the church was reopened as a place of worship - the price of St. Demetrius. The fire on 5 and 6 August 1917, which destroyed 2/3 of Thessaloniki, turned into ruins and the historic church. Restoration work gave him back his original form.
This particular temple is one of the most representative examples of Christian architecture, as it is considered very important "royal." This is the more genuine type of Hellenistic basilica with a wooden gable roof. Its current form is the 7th century. AD Spatial placed in the center of the old city, northeast of the ancient agora. It measures 43.58 m in plan. (Length) and 33 m. (Width).
The Church of Saint Demetrius suffered considerable damage during the course of raids by the Saracens (AD 904) and Norman (1181 AD.). Great fire between 629 and 639 destroyed a significant part of this building. The piety of the people of Thessaloniki led by Bishop John builds anew, by increasing it. 904 The temple was plundered by the Saracens and ravished in pieces the sacred 'canopy'. Other grabbing new "Kivoriou" noted by the Normans, 281 years later, when the city was occupied 1181.
In 1493 the church was converted into a mosque by the Turks. In the northwestern part of the transferred cenotaph of the saint and isolated from the mosque. With the liberation of Thessaloniki, 1912, the church was reopened as a place of worship - the price of St. Demetrius. The fire on 5 and 6 August 1917, which destroyed 2/3 of Thessaloniki, turned into ruins and the historic church. Restoration work gave him back his original form.
This particular temple is one of the most representative examples of Christian architecture, as it is considered very important "royal." This is the more genuine type of Hellenistic basilica with a wooden gable roof. Its current form is the 7th century. AD Spatial placed in the center of the old city, northeast of the ancient agora. It measures 43.58 m in plan. (Length) and 33 m. (Width).