Thessaloniki: Difference between revisions
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A quiet and prosperous era follows until repeated barbarian invasions after the [[fall of the Roman Empire]], while a catastrophic earthquake severely damaged the city in [[620]] resulting in the destruction of the Roman Forum and several other public buildings. |
A quiet and prosperous era follows until repeated barbarian invasions after the [[fall of the Roman Empire]], while a catastrophic earthquake severely damaged the city in [[620]] resulting in the destruction of the Roman Forum and several other public buildings. |
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Thessaloníki itself came under attack from [[Slavs]] in the 7th century. They failed to capture the city but a sizeable Slavic community nonetheless established around the city, that Byzantine |
Thessaloníki itself came under attack from [[Slavs]] in the 7th century. They failed to capture the city but a sizeable Slavic community nonetheless established around the city {{fact}}, that Byzantine |
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sources call ''Sklavinies''. Greek brothers [[Saint Cyril]] and [[Saint Methodius]] were born in Thessaloníki and the Byzantine Emperor [[Michael III]] encouraged them to visit the northern Slavic regions as missionaries; their adopted South Slavonic speech became the basis for the [[Old Church Slavonic language]]. In the 9th century, the Byzantines decided to move the market for |
sources call ''Sklavinies''. Greek brothers [[Saint Cyril]] and [[Saint Methodius]] were born in Thessaloníki and the Byzantine Emperor [[Michael III]] encouraged them to visit the northern Slavic regions as missionaries; their adopted South Slavonic speech became the basis for the [[Old Church Slavonic language]]. In the 9th century, the Byzantines decided to move the market for |
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Bulgarian goods from Constantinople to Thessaloníki. [[Tsar Simeon I]] of Bulgaria invaded Thrace, defeated a Byzantine army and forced the empire to move the market back to Constantinople. |
Bulgarian goods from Constantinople to Thessaloníki. [[Tsar Simeon I]] of Bulgaria invaded Thrace, defeated a Byzantine army and forced the empire to move the market back to Constantinople. |
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by the [[Fourth Crusade]] in [[1204]]. Thessaloníki and its surrounding territory—the [[Kingdom of Thessalonica]]—became the largest fief of the [[Latin Empire]], covering most of north and central Greece. It was given by the emperor [[Baldwin I of Constantinople|Baldwin]] I to his rival [[Boniface of Montferrat]] but in [[1224]] it was seized by [[Michael Ducas]], the Greek Despot of Epirus. The city was recovered by the Byzantine Empire in [[1246]]. |
by the [[Fourth Crusade]] in [[1204]]. Thessaloníki and its surrounding territory—the [[Kingdom of Thessalonica]]—became the largest fief of the [[Latin Empire]], covering most of north and central Greece. It was given by the emperor [[Baldwin I of Constantinople|Baldwin]] I to his rival [[Boniface of Montferrat]] but in [[1224]] it was seized by [[Michael Ducas]], the Greek Despot of Epirus. The city was recovered by the Byzantine Empire in [[1246]]. |
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At that time, despite the various invasions, Thessaloniki had a large population and flourishing commerce. That resulted in an intellectual and artistic florescence that can be traced in the numerous churches and their frescoes of that era and also by the names of scholars that taught there. (Thomas Magististos, Dimitrios Triklinios, Nikiforos Choumnos, Kostantinos Armenopoulos, Neilos Kavassilas, etc) |
At that time, despite the various invasions, Thessaloniki had a large population and flourishing commerce. That resulted in an intellectual and artistic florescence that can be traced in the numerous churches and their frescoes of that era and also by the names of scholars that taught there. (Thomas Magististos, Dimitrios Triklinios, Nikiforos Choumnos, Kostantinos Armenopoulos, Neilos Kavassilas, etc). Many fine examples of Byzantine art survive in the city, particularly the mosaics in some of its historic churches, including the basilica of Hagia Sophia and the church of [[St George]]. |
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In the 14th century though, the city was appalled by the [[Zealotes, Thessalonica|Zelotes]] social movement (1342-1349). It began as a religious conflict between bishop [[Gregory Palamas|Gregorios Palamas]], who supported conservative ideas and the monk [[Barlaam of Calabria|Barlaam]], who introduced progressive social ones. Quickly, it turned into a political commotion, leading to the prevalence of the ''Zelotes'', who for a while ruled the city, applying progressive social policies. |
In the 14th century though, the city was appalled by the [[Zealotes, Thessalonica|Zelotes]] social movement (1342-1349). It began as a religious conflict between bishop [[Gregory Palamas|Gregorios Palamas]], who supported conservative ideas and the monk [[Barlaam of Calabria|Barlaam]], who introduced progressive social ones. Quickly, it turned into a political commotion, leading to the prevalence of the ''Zelotes'', who for a while ruled the city, applying progressive social policies. |
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But the [[Byzantine Empire]], unable to hold it against the encroachments of the [[Ottoman Empire]], was forced to sell it to [[Venice]], who held it until it was captured by the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] ruler [[Murad II]] in [[1430]]. |
But the [[Byzantine Empire]], unable to hold it against the encroachments of the [[Ottoman Empire]], was forced to sell it to [[Venice]], who held it until it was captured by the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] ruler [[Murad II]] in [[1430]]. |
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Thessaloníki, renamed ''Selânik'', remained in Ottoman hands until [[1912]] and became one of the most important cities in the Empire, with a large modern port being built in 1901. The founder of modern [[Turkey]], [[Kemal Atatürk]], was born there in [[1881]], and the [[Young Turk]] movement was headquartered there in the early 20th century. The city was extremely multicultural; of its 130,000 inhabitants at the start of the century, around 60,000 were [[Sephardic Jew]]s, whose ancestors had been expelled from [[Spain]] and [[Portugal]] after [[1492]]. Some Romaniotes Jews were also present. The city's language of daily life was [[Ladino]], a Jewish language derived from [[Spanish language|Old Castilian Spanish]]. |
Thessaloníki, renamed ''Selânik'', remained in Ottoman hands until [[1912]] and became one of the most important cities in the Empire, with a large modern port being built in 1901. The founder of modern [[Turkey]], [[Kemal Atatürk]], was born there in [[1881]], and the [[Young Turk]] movement was headquartered there in the early 20th century. The city was extremely multicultural; of its 130,000 inhabitants at the start of the century, around 60,000 were [[Sephardic Jew]]s, whose ancestors had been expelled from [[Spain]] and [[Portugal]] after [[1492]]. Some Romaniotes Jews were also present. The city's language of daily life was [[Ladino]] {{fact}}, a Jewish language derived from [[Spanish language|Old Castilian Spanish]]. |
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(See Expulsion from Spain). The city's day off was Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. Turks, Greeks, Bulgarians and Albanians made up the bulk of the remainder of the population |
(See Expulsion from Spain). The city's day off was Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. Turks, Greeks, Bulgarians and Albanians made up the bulk of the remainder of the population |
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Thessaloníki fell to the forces of [[Nazi Germany]] in [[1941]] and remained under German occupation until [[1944]]. The city suffered considerable damage from Allied bombing, and almost the entire Jewish population was exterminated by the Nazis. Barely a thousand Jews survived. However, Thessaloníki was rebuilt fairly quickly after the war. In [[1978]], it was badly damaged by an [[earthquake]]. |
Thessaloníki fell to the forces of [[Nazi Germany]] in [[1941]] and remained under German occupation until [[1944]]. The city suffered considerable damage from Allied bombing, and almost the entire Jewish population was exterminated by the Nazis. Barely a thousand Jews survived. However, Thessaloníki was rebuilt fairly quickly after the war. In [[1978]], it was badly damaged by an [[earthquake]]. Early Christian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloníki were inscribed on the [[UNESCO]] World Heritage list in 1988. |
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Thessaloniki became the [[European Capital of Culture|European City of Culture]] for [[1997]]. |
Thessaloniki became the [[European Capital of Culture|European City of Culture]] for [[1997]]. |
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Revision as of 03:53, 21 January 2006
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Thessaloníki or Salonica (Greek: Θεσσαλονίκη) is the second-largest city of Greece and is the principal, the largest city, and the capital of the Greek region of Macedonia. It is also the capital of the Thessaloniki prefecture and the capital of the EU region (or, synonymously, Greek periphery) of Central Macedonia.
The popular Greek name Σαλονίκη gives it its alternate English name —formerly the common name Salonika/Salonica and the South Slavic Солун (Solun), other names include Aromanian Săruna, Ladino סלוניקה, and Turkish Selânik (see also different names). The metropolitan area (comprised of 13 municipal areas) has a total population of around 1 million and lies in a bay of the Thermaic Gulf at the head of the Chalcidice peninsula. Its coordinates are 40°38′N 22°58′E / 40.633°N 22.967°E.
History
Hellenistic Era
The city was founded circa 315 BC by Kasander, the King of Macedon (Gr. Μακεδών), on or near the site of the ancient town of Therma and 26 other local villages. He named it after his wife Thessalonica, the sister of Alexander the Great. She gained her name from her father, Philip II of Macedon, to commemorate her birth on the day of his gaining a victory (Gr. Nike) over theThessalians.
Thessaloniki developed rapidly and as early as the 2nd century BC the first walls were built, forming a large square. It was, as all the other contemporary Greek cities, an autonomous part of the Kingdom of Macedon, with its own parliament where the King was represented and could interfere in the city's domestic affairs.
Roman Era
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After the fall of the kingdom of Macedon in 168 BC,
Thessaloníki became a city of the Roman Empire. It grew to be an important trade-hub located on the Via Egnatia, a Roman road that connected Byzantium (later Constantinople), withDyrrhachium (now Durrës in Albania), facilitating the trade between Europe and Asia. The city was made capital of one of the four Roman districts of Macedonia. It kept its privileges but was ruled by a Praetor and had a Roman garrison. For a short time in the 1st century BC all the Greek provinces were subdued to Thessalonica.
Due to the city's great commercial importance, a spacious harbour was built by the Romans, the famous Burrow Harbour (Σκαπτός Λιμήν) that accommodated the city's trade up to the 18th century but covered later. Remnants of the harbour's docks can be found nowadays under Frangon Street, near the Catholic Church.
Thessaloniki's acropolis, located in the northern hills, was built in 55 BC after Thracian raids in the city's outskirts, for security reasons.
It had a sizeable Jewish colony, established during the 1st century AD and was an early centre of Christianity. On his second missionary journey, St Paul preached in the city's synagogue, the chief synagogue of the Jews in that part of Thessaloniki, and laid the foundations of a church. Opposition against him from the Jews drove him from the city, and he fled to Veroia.
Thessaloníki acquired a patron saint, St. Demetrius, in 306 AD. He was the Roman Proconsul of Greece under the anti-Christian emperor Maximian and was martyred at a Roman prison, where today lays the Church of St. Demetrius, first built by the Roman sub-prefect of Illyricum, Leontios in 463 AD.
Byzantine era and Middle Ages
When the Roman Empire was divided into eastern and western segments ruled from Byzantium/Constantinople and Rome respectively, Thessaloníki came under the control of the Byzantine Empire. Its importance was second only to Constantinople itself. After a revolt against the emperor Theodosius I in 390 against his Gothic troops, 7,000 - 15,000 of the citizens were massacred in the city's hippodrome in revenge – an act which earned Theodosius a temporary excommunication.
A quiet and prosperous era follows until repeated barbarian invasions after the fall of the Roman Empire, while a catastrophic earthquake severely damaged the city in 620 resulting in the destruction of the Roman Forum and several other public buildings. Thessaloníki itself came under attack from Slavs in the 7th century. They failed to capture the city but a sizeable Slavic community nonetheless established around the city [citation needed], that Byzantine sources call Sklavinies. Greek brothers Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius were born in Thessaloníki and the Byzantine Emperor Michael III encouraged them to visit the northern Slavic regions as missionaries; their adopted South Slavonic speech became the basis for the Old Church Slavonic language. In the 9th century, the Byzantines decided to move the market for Bulgarian goods from Constantinople to Thessaloníki. Tsar Simeon I of Bulgaria invaded Thrace, defeated a Byzantine army and forced the empire to move the market back to Constantinople.
A new era of invasions comes next and at 904, Saracens based at Crete managed to seize the city and after a ten day depredation, left with much loot and 22,000 slaves, mostly young people. Also, in 1185 the Norman rulers of Sicily, under the leadership of Count Baldwin and Riccardo d'Acerra attacked and occupied the city, resulting in considerable destruction. But their rule lasted less that a year, since they were defeated in two battles later that year by the Byzantine army and forced to evacuate the city.
It passed out of Byzantine hands again in 1204, when Constantinople was captured by the Fourth Crusade in 1204. Thessaloníki and its surrounding territory—the Kingdom of Thessalonica—became the largest fief of the Latin Empire, covering most of north and central Greece. It was given by the emperor Baldwin I to his rival Boniface of Montferrat but in 1224 it was seized by Michael Ducas, the Greek Despot of Epirus. The city was recovered by the Byzantine Empire in 1246.
At that time, despite the various invasions, Thessaloniki had a large population and flourishing commerce. That resulted in an intellectual and artistic florescence that can be traced in the numerous churches and their frescoes of that era and also by the names of scholars that taught there. (Thomas Magististos, Dimitrios Triklinios, Nikiforos Choumnos, Kostantinos Armenopoulos, Neilos Kavassilas, etc). Many fine examples of Byzantine art survive in the city, particularly the mosaics in some of its historic churches, including the basilica of Hagia Sophia and the church of St George.
In the 14th century though, the city was appalled by the Zelotes social movement (1342-1349). It began as a religious conflict between bishop Gregorios Palamas, who supported conservative ideas and the monk Barlaam, who introduced progressive social ones. Quickly, it turned into a political commotion, leading to the prevalence of the Zelotes, who for a while ruled the city, applying progressive social policies.
But the Byzantine Empire, unable to hold it against the encroachments of the Ottoman Empire, was forced to sell it to Venice, who held it until it was captured by the Ottoman ruler Murad II in 1430.
Thessaloníki, renamed Selânik, remained in Ottoman hands until 1912 and became one of the most important cities in the Empire, with a large modern port being built in 1901. The founder of modern Turkey, Kemal Atatürk, was born there in 1881, and the Young Turk movement was headquartered there in the early 20th century. The city was extremely multicultural; of its 130,000 inhabitants at the start of the century, around 60,000 were Sephardic Jews, whose ancestors had been expelled from Spain and Portugal after 1492. Some Romaniotes Jews were also present. The city's language of daily life was Ladino [citation needed], a Jewish language derived from Old Castilian Spanish. (See Expulsion from Spain). The city's day off was Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. Turks, Greeks, Bulgarians and Albanians made up the bulk of the remainder of the population
Modern times
Thessaloníki was the main prize of the First Balkan War of 1912, during which it was successfully captured by Greece (October 1912). King George I of Greece was assassinated in Thessaloníki in March 1913.
In 1915, during World War I,a large Allied expeditionary force landed at Thessaloníki to use the city as the base for an offensive against pro-German Bulgaria. A pro-Allied temporary government headed by Eleftherios Venizelos was established there, against the will of the pro-neutral King of Greece.
Most of the town was destroyed by a single fire in 1917 of unknown origin, probably an accident.Venizelos forbade the reconstruction of the town center until a full modern city plan was prepared. This was accomplished a few years later by the French architect and archeologist Ernest Hebrard. The Hebrard plan swept away the Oriental features of Thessaloníki and transformed it to a European style city.
One consequence of the fire saw close to half the city's Jewish population, their homes and livelihoods destroyed, emigrate. Many went to Palestine. Some stepped onto the Orient Express to Paris. Still others found their way to America. Their numbers were quickly replaced by refugees from another disaster a few years after the war, when huge numbers of ethnic Greeks were expelled from Turkey in 1922 following the Greco-Turkish War. The city expanded enormously as a result. It was nicknamed "The Refugee Capital" (I Protévoussa ton Prosfígon) and "Mother of the Poor" (Ftohomána), and even today the city's inhabitants and culture are distinctively Anatolian in character.
Thessaloníki fell to the forces of Nazi Germany in 1941 and remained under German occupation until 1944. The city suffered considerable damage from Allied bombing, and almost the entire Jewish population was exterminated by the Nazis. Barely a thousand Jews survived. However, Thessaloníki was rebuilt fairly quickly after the war. In 1978, it was badly damaged by an earthquake. Early Christian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloníki were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1988.
Thessaloniki became the European City of Culture for 1997.
The city has two universities — the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the largest university in Greece (founded 1926) and the University of Macedonia. In addition, there is City College, afflifiated to the University of Sheffield, UK.
In 2004, the city hosted some of the football events of the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Historical population
| Year | Population | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 406,413 | - | |
| 1991 | 383,967 | -22,446/-5.52% | |
| 2001 | 355,953 | - |
Today's population of the city's metropolitan area is 773.180 (2001 census).
Historical mayors
- K. Merkouriou
- George Sermetis (1943 - 1944)
- Petros Levis (1944 - 1945)
- Christos Konstantinou
Economy
Thessaloníki is a major port city and an industrial and commercial center. The city's industries produce refined oil, steel, petrochemicals, textiles, machinery, flour, cement, pharmaceuticals, and liquor. The city is also a major transportation hub for the whole of southeastern Europe, carrying trade to and from the newly capitalist countries of the region.
Festivals
Thessaloniki International Film Festival
The International Thessaloniki Film Festival has become the Balkans' primary showcase for the work of new and emerging filmmakers, as well as the leading film festival in the region. The event features the International Section, the panorama of Greek films, the New Horizons program, the Balkan Survey, and numerous retrospectives and tributes to leading figures in the world of film.
Since 1992, the International Thessaloniki Film Festival has striven to present the most innovative independent films from around the world.
The International Competition section consists of new directors' first or second films.
The non-competitive panorama of Greek films, an overview of the recent local production, followed by the presentation of the State Film Awards by the Greek Ministry of Culture.
Independence Days non-competitive section is the cutting-edge showcase for the latest trends in independent film production.
Balkan Survey, created in 1994, stands as a unique program, which offers audiences a window on the cinema of this region of the world.
Retrospectives and tributes look at both historic masters, and emerging artists. Since 1993, numerous directors have been represented in the retrospective/tribute programs, including: Pedro Almodovar, Theo Angelopoulos, Bernardo Bertolucci, John Boorman. Michael Cacoyanis, John Cassavetes, David Cronenberg, Jules Dassin, Atom Egoyan, Takis Kanellopoulos, Abbas Kiarostami, Krzysztof Kieslowksi, Nikos Koundouros, Ken Loach, Nanni Moretti, Nagisa Oshima, Lucian Pintilie, Jean-Daniel Pollet, Arturo Ripstein and Jerzy Skolimowski.
In addition to the rich film offerings, the Festival hosts panels, exhibitions, and other artistic events such as:
The Nam June Paik "Video & Television Art" exhibition, "The Strange Objects of Desire of David Cronenberg" Ingrid Caven's concert, Paintings & Collages by Sergei Paradjanov, "Periplanissis" Photo Exhibit by Josef Koudelka, "Peter Greenaway's Paintings, Drawings & Collages" exhibit; and Jazz master Gato Barbieri in concert.
Over the last five years the Festival has also spotlighted significant, leading directors such as,
Olivier Assayas, Charles Burnett, Paul Cox, Manoel de Oliveira, Atom Egoyan, Philippe Garrel, Lana Gogoberidze, Michael Haneke, Hal Hartley, Otar Iosseliani, Jim Jarmusch, Jon Jost, Karel Kachyna, Chen Kaige, Vitali Kanevski, Aki Kaurismaki, Nikita Mikhalkov, Kira Muratova, Gleb Panfilov, Amos Gitai, Nicos Papatakis, Goran Paskaljevic, Sergei Paradjanov, Raul Ruiz, Daniel Schmid, Istvan Szabo, Andre Techine, Edward Young, John Waters, Frederick Wiseman, Nelson Pereira dos Santos, Mark Rappaport, Joao Cesar Monteiro, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Omer Kavur, Michelangelo Antonioni, Benoit Jacquot, Abolfazl Jalili, Daniele Dubroux, Jan Sverak, Bab Rafelson, Clarie Denis, Dariush Mehrjui, Jacques Doillon, and Sergei Bodrov.
The Festival has promoted the work of emerging young filmmakers from all over the world such as Artur Aristakisjian, Gregg Araki, Wolfgang Becker, Paolo Benvenuti, Xavier Beauvois, Paddy Breathnach, Gerardo Chijona, Pedro Costa, Antoine Desrosieres, Andrei Doinchyk, Boro Draskovic, Sara Driver, Ebrahim Forouzesh, Carl Franklin, Flora Gomez, Sotiris Goritsas, Andreas Gruber, Yeh Hung-Wei, Pinh Ho, Pericles Hoursoglou, Ilkka Jarvilaturi, Andras Jeles, Panos Karkanevatos, Tom Kalin, Fred Kelemen, Lodge Kerrigan , Tian Zhuang Shuang, Justin Kerrigan, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Dino Tsinadze, Lukas Moodysson, Marziyeh Meshkini, Pavel Pawlikowski, Samira Makhmalbaf, Petr Zelenka, Don McKellar, Cedric Khan, Fatih Akin, Darren Aranofsky, Constantine Giannaris, Neil LaBute, Kenny Glenaan, John Gianvito, Lucrecia Martel, Daniel Burman, Marco Bechis, Jia Zhang-ke, Yasim Ustaoglou, Christian Petzold, Zhang Yang, Laurent Cantent, and Pablo Trapero.
History
First held in 1960 as a modest "Week of Greek Cinema", the Thessaloniki International Film Festival has become, 41 years later, an annual event focused on the discovery and promotion of new directors from all over the world; a true celebration of film.
For ten days in mid-November, audiences numbering approximately 70,000, as well as hundreds of Greek and foreign Festival guests, attend screenings of more than 150 films in the city's cinemas.
Newcomers in the competitive section meet veteran filmmakers whose work is celebrated through retrospectives and special screenings. All films are screened before the young, vital, cinema-loving Thessaloniki audience, while in the Festival's parallel events, such as concerts and art exhibitions, cinema is brought together with the other arts.
The Festival assumed its present dynamic, international character in 1992, under the direction of Michel Demopoulos, with the financial support of the Greek Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Municipality of Thessaloniki and other local institutions, and with the unanimous support of the city's population.
The international recognition enjoyed by the Festival is illustrated by the participation in its jury of celebrities such as Francis Ford Coppola, Faye Dunaway, Catherine Deneuve, Istvan Szabo, Nelson Pereira dos Santos, Chantal Akerman, Ivan Passer, Goran Paskalijevic, Yoichiro Takahashi, Nikos Papatakis, Paul Leduc, Jerry Schatzberg, Georgi Chenguelaiia, Dariush Mehrjui, Elliot Stein, Pascal Bonitzer, Lino Micciche, David Thewlis, Aurore Clement, Maia Morgenstern, Dean Tavoularis, Adrienne Mancia, Beki Probst, Giuglielmo Biraghi, Eric Heumann, Jerzy Skolimowski and many others.
Video Dance Festival
Intro Video Dance Festival
Video Dance started in 2000 as an international dance film festival, but soon it widened up to include more kinds of experiment on movement and the moving image. Celebrating this year its 6th edition.
About Video Dance Festival
Video Dance is a festival presenting a showcase of the latest experiments on media and movement or, in other words, at the crossroads of visual arts, enhanced cinema and performing arts.
The screenings, the main festival axis, consist a showcase of films from all over the world presented in thematic programmes. Non-narrative experimental films are being screened along with dance-based films.
As far as it concerns dance films, programming is focused on the special relationship between movement and the moving image, both when it is produced as a result of a choreography for the camera, and when it is produced by the filmmaker's look on the movement. Special screenings present archival material on the history of movement and the moving image as it is preserved on film during the 20th century. Retrospectives like those on the works by Maya Deren (2003) or by Shirley Clarke (2004) give the Greek audience an opportunity to contact the first attempts of the experimental non-narrative cinema to use the movement as its main source.
The live media events zone includes video-performances, performances, live improvisation with sound and image, and other experimental art works involving media and performing arts.
During the festival video-installations related to the film programme themes are exhibited.
The festival takes place in Athens, in mid-September and the film programme is screened in Thessaloniki right after that.
More about the Video Dance Festival
Video Dance is funded and organised since 2000 by the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, one of the major film institutions in Greece, part of the Greek Ministry of Culture. It was founded by its actual artistic director, Christiana Galanopoulou. The festival is non competitive and non-commercial. Over the past five years, more than 350 recent and formerly produced films from all over the world have been screened in two venues, in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece. The festival collaborates with several dance and film international festivals, archives and cultural institutions and it is a member of the Dance and Media Festivals International Network. During the first three years it was held in industrial spaces especially re-designed for VideoDance by young architects. Since 2003 it started its collaboration with the independent group BIOS.
Video Dance2005 is to be held in Athens and Thessaloniki in September 2005.
DMC DJ Championship
DMC’s World DJ Championships, sponsored internationally by Technics and Ortofon, has grown through the years and the formats of the competitions have developed along with the demands. Originally meant to be a DJ mixing battle, DJ Cheese in 1986, introduced scratching in his routine, changing the course of the DMC battles forever. Since that time, the prestigious Technics / DMC World Champion title has been the most sought after by aspiring DJs / turntablists worldwide!
he only equipment permitted in the Technics DJ Championships is Technics SL1200 turntables and are Technics EX-DJ1200 mixer. No other equipment is allowed. The DJs are allowed a period of exactly six (6) minutes to impress the judges. The same rules are applied to all competitions around the world.
The Greek DMC DJ Championship is host in Thessaloniki in the International Trade Fair Of Thessaloniki
Communications
- Laikos FM - 87.6 FM - http://www.laikos.fm
- Mylos 88.5 FM - 88.5 FM - http://www.88miso.gr
- Thessaloniki Radio Deejay - 89.0 FM - http://www.radiodj89.gr
- Zoo Radio - 90.8 FM - http://www.zooradio.gr
- Ellinikos FM - 92.8 FM - http://www.ellinikosfm.gr
- Heart FM 93.1 - 93.1 FM - http://www.heartfm.gr
- Radio Thessaloniki - 94.5 FM - http://www.radiothessaloniki.gr
- Eroticos FM - 94.8 FM - http://www.eroticosfm.gr
- Cosmoradio - 95.1 FM - http://www.cosmoradio.gr
- Athlitiko Metropolis - 95.5 FM - http://www.metropolisfm.gr
- ERT 3 95.8 FM - public - 95.8 FM - http://www.ert3.gr
- Star FM 97.1 - 97.1 FM - http://www.starfm.gr
- ERT 3 102 FM - public - 102.0 FM - http://www.ert3.gr
- Extra Sport - 103.0 FM - http://www.extrasports.gr
- Banana FM - 104.0 FM - http://www.bananafm.gr
- Rock Radio 104.7 - 104.7 FM - http://www.rockradio.gr
- 1055 Rock - 105.5 FM - http://www.1055rock.gr
- City International -106.1 FM - http://www.cityinternational.gr
- Safari FM - 107.1 FM - http://www.safari.gr
- ET3 - the division of ERT
- TV Macedonia
- Apollon TV
- Best TV (local) featuring Best News, one of the most watched local programming in the Thessaloniki prefecture
- TV Balkania
- Europe One
- Omega TV
- Orion TV
- Panorama TV
- Gnomi TV
- TV Thessaloniki
- Vergina TV
Transportation
Thessaloniki did not have a superhighway until the 1970s. Thessaloniki is accessed with GR-1/E75 for Athens, GR-4, GR-2, Via Egnatia/E90 and GR-12/E85 for Serres and Sofia. In the 1970s, the superhighway reached Thessaloniki and was the last section of the GR-1 ever to be completed; another short section of the superhighway was also opened. In the 1980s, the 2-lane bypass of Thessaloniki began construction and was finally opened to traffic running from the west side up to the other side of Thessaloniki to its southeast approaching Thermi. In 2001, an overpass closed the bypass for a few days and tore down an overpass for lane expansions. The last superhighway expansion was at Via Egnatia northeast of Thessaloniki. The long promised subway system, for which construction is expected to begin in the next few years, will serve Thessaloniki and its area.
The city is a major railroad hub in the Balkans, with direct connections to Sofia, Skopje, Belgrade, Moscow, Vienna, Budapest, Instabul as well as Athens and other major destinations in Greece.
Air transportation is served by Makedonia Airport. International and Domestic!
Sport clubs
- PAOK FC The most popular club of Thessaloniki and northern Greece, playing in the First Division. (2004-2005: 5th place)
- Aris FC The club is playing in the Greek second B division championship.(2004-2005: 14th place)
- Iraklis FC Historical club that founded in 1908, playing in the First Division. (2004-2005: 7th place)
- Apollon Kalamarias The pride of the suburban city Kalamaria, First Division. (2004-2005: 12th place)
- Agrotikos Asteras - third division
- LITEX Lykoi - third division
- Pavlos Melas FC - third division
Climate
The city experiences a Mediterranean climate. Those north of Thessaloniki experience a Balkan climate, with cold winters.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Maximum. [°C] | 9 | 10 | 13 | 18 | 23 | 28 | 31 | 30 | 26 | 21 | 14 | 10 |
| Minimum temperature [°C] | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 11 | 6 | 2 |
| Rainfall (mm) | 40 | 38 | 43 | 35 | 43 | 30 | 22 | 20 | 27 | 45 | 58 | 50 |
| Record temperatures [] | 20 | 22 | 25 | 31 | 36 | 39 | 42 | 39 | 36 | 32 | 27 | 26 |
Twinnings
(in chronological order)
- Hartford, Connecticut, since May 5, 1962
- Plovdiv, Bulgaria, since February 27, 1984
- Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, since March 19, 1984
- Limassol, Cyprus, since June 30, 1984
- Leipzig, Germany, since October 10, 1984
- Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, October 20, 1984
- Bratislava, Slovakia, April 23, 1986
- Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, since May 3, 1988
- Constanta, Romania, July 5, 1988
- San Francisco, California, August 6, 1990
- Nice, France, March 20, 1992
- Alexandria, Egypt, July 12, 1993
- Tel Aviv, Israel, November 24, 1994
Landmarks
- The White Tower of Thessaloniki (Lefkos Pyrgos), widely regarded as the symbol of the city.
- The Arch and Tomb of Galerius
- The Church of St. Demetrius.
- OTE Tower, a TV tower
- The waterfront.
- The extensive Byzantine walls of the Upper City (Ano Poli) and kastro.
- The Kyvernion(little Palace); former residence of the King and Queen of Greece; in the Karabournaki area, in Eastern Thessaloniki
- The modern Music Hall of Thessaloniki in the East side of the city, near the Posidonion sports center.
- Thessaloniki Intemational Trade Fair
Museums
- Crypt of St Demetrios of Thessaloniki
- Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki (Museo Djudio de Salonik)
- State Museum of Contemporary Art, Thessaloniki - http://www.greekstatemuseum.com - housing the most important collection of russian avantgarde, collected by George Costakis
- Macedonia-Thrace Folklore and Ethnological Museum, housed in the G. Modiano Mansion
- Museum of Byzantine Culture
- Thessaloniki Archaeological Museum
- Thessaloniki Cinema Museum
- Thessaloniki Museum of the Macedonian Struggle
- Thessaloniki Sport Museum
- Water Museum of Thessaloniki
- White Tower of Thessaloniki, museum and monument
Archaeological sites
- Agia Paraskevi, Thessaloniki, archaic cemetery
- The Ancient Agora of Thessaloniki
- Monastery of Latomos at Thessaloniki
Monuments
People
- Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius, creators of the Slavic Alphabet
- Manolis Anagnostakis, doctor and leftist writer
- Stavros Koujioumtzis (1932-2005), Greek music composer & lyricist
- Dionysis Savvopoulos (b. December 2, 1944), a Greek music composer, lyricist and singer
- Stratos Dionysiou (died 1990), popular singer
- Zoi Laskari (b.1938), Greek actress
- Marinella (b. May 20, 1935), popular singer
- Kostas Voutsas (b.1930), Greek actor & comedian
- Calliope Tatti (1897 - 1978)
- Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881 - 1938), Founder of the Republic of Turkey
See also
External links
- Official web site
- Thessaloniki Film Festival
- Mapquest - Thessaloniki
- Thessaloniki guide
- www.saloniki.org Thessaloniki
- Thessaloniki guide for visitors
- Athens 2004: Thessaloniki Olympic City
- Thessaloniki Photo Gallery
- Thessaloniki - Old postcards
- Contemporary Thessaloniki
- Greece Thessaloniki Travel and Greece Thessaloniki Hotels comprehensive travel guide about Thessaloniki Greece regarding every tourism related info, weather, reports, tips, driving directions, and hotels with panoramic 360° pictures.
Bibliography
- Apostolos P. Vacalopoulos, A History of Thessaloniki, Institute for Balkan Studies, 1972.
- Thessaloniki: Tourist guide and street map, A. Kessopoulos, Malliarēs-Paideia, 1988.
- Mark Mazower, Salonica, City of Ghosts: Christians, Muslims and Jews, 1430-1950, 2004, ISBN 0375412980.
- Thessaloniki City Guide, Axon Publications, 2002.
- James C. Skedros, Saint Demetrios of Thessaloniki: Civic Patron and Divine Protector, 4th-7Th Centuries (Harvard Theological Studies), Trinity Press International (1999).
- Vilma Hastaoglou-Martinidis (ed.), Restructuring the City: International Urban Design Competitions for Thessaloniki, Andreas Papadakis, 1999.