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Set just inside the ancient city wall, the church of the 12 Apostles is filled with beautiful frescos and icons, and is well worth a visit but beware the cleaning ladies who will NOT allow you inside if they are sweeping, or — horrors! — if you are wearing shorts. Attend a liturgy to see a small church packed with parishioners engaged in a 2000 year old ritual, but position yourself so you can see the opening of the holy doors in the iconostasis. Afterwards, explore. Look up to find the Panticrator. Look also to see the hammer strokes on many of the ancient frescos, evidence of the Ottoman Empire’s desire to wipe out Christianity from the city during their occupation. Outside, take in the beautiful stonework.…
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Date of experience: September 2019
2 Helpful votes
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Church of Agioi Apostoloi (Holy Apostles) is a late Byzantine-era church, built around 1310. According to legend, it was covered with twelve domes, symbolizing the Apostles. The church is laid out as a cross; the main dome is supported by four arches and surrounded by four smaller domes. The narthex has a U-shaped peristoon (an ambulatory with galleries) with small domes at each corner; there are two small side-chapels to the east. The exterior walls are richly decorated with a variety of brick-work patterns. It is thought that the church was part of a larger complex, perhaps the katholikon (public chapel) of a monastery. Initially, it was dedicated to Virgin Mary, as many wall paintings depicted scenes from her life. The frescoes and mosaics were skillfully done, possibly by craftsmen from Constantinople. After the Turk conquest in 1430, the church was converted into a mosque, and the frescoes were covered in stucco. The church was reconsecrated as Orthodox after the Greek liberation in 1920; restoration started in 1926. Its frescoes and mosaics are exceptionally well preserved. Frescoes near the altar portray scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary. Frescoes in the side-chapels, reflect the life of St. John the Baptist. Mosaics on the arches depict the Nativity, Transfiguration, the Crucifixion, and Ascension Day. I was impressed with the realism, color and sharpness of the mosaics, which almost appeared to be paintings. The church was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988. The church is open daily with no entry fee, although a donation is gratefully appreciated.…
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Date of experience: July 2019
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This is an interesting and light-filled church that dates back to the early 14th century. It is thought that it was the main chapel of a much larger monastery, the rest of which has long since disappeared. It was built in a cruciform shape with one large central dome and four smaller domes, one in each corner. It has a lobby area which has two walkways with galleries, stretching down either side of the internal space of the church. There are stunning mosaics on the upper walls below the dome. These are considered to be of great importance as they are very late Byzantine era and were done not too long before the fall of Thessaloniki to the Ottomans. As was the fate of many of the city's other churches, the Turks turned the church into a mosque and named it the Mosque of the Cold Water, presumably due to the presence of water cisterns on the monastery site - you can still see their remains today, slightly uphill to the northwest of the church. Beside the church you will see long sections of the old west walls of the city, built in Byzantine times.…
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Date of experience: June 2019
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Definately the best sample of the latest Byzantine Art of it's era. A unique monument with excellent frescos and mosaics, and a home for the soul and the spirit. No matter what you have seen in a city having most of the remaining genuine Byzantine churches, try not to miss spending some moments in this living jewel!…
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Date of experience: September 2018
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The Church of the Holy Apostles is definitely the most beautiful church of Thessaloniki! There are outstanding wall-paintings (certainly the most beautiful frescoes in our city!), as well as really beautiful mosaics! It's a must not only for pilgrims, but also for non-orthodox tourists!…
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Date of experience: July 2018
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