Part 1: Unveiling History and Modern Marvels
A brief visit to Thessaloniki reveals a rich history, a modern metro, and Greek resilience worth returning to explore more in depth.
By John Thomsen
On a trip with my friends to the north of Greece, I regretted having only a few days to spend in beautiful Thessaloniki, named after a half-sister of Alexander the Great. But I saw enough to know I’d be back to visit her soon.
Obviously, the gods on nearby Olympus were watching over us on my first trip to this magnificent city. The brilliant Thessaloniki Metro had only recently opened after decades of construction, making travel in the city a total joy. Construction began in 1986, halted after a short time, began again in 2003, and prest-o chang-o!!!!! a mere 38 years later the grand opening took place! The reason this superb driverless metro system took decades to build was primarily for one reason: when a shovel is pushed into Greek soil, dollars to donuts you’re going to discover some archaeological treasure which demands respect, and in good conscience must be preserved.
The Venizelou metro station is a spectacular example of this preservation. The station holds what has been called the “Byzantine Pompeii,” fortunately without the bodies. While digging the Venizelou metro station, a sizeable part of the Decumanus Maximus, Thessaloniki’s major Roman avenue, was unearthed. This incredible piece of Roman-Byzantine history can now be viewed, as if in a museum in its original location inside the Venizelou metro station. I take my hat off to the citizens of Thessaloniki for enduring many years of inconvenience and even hardship for some…so that not only they, but also thousands of world travelers can move effortlessly through this great city!
Join me next week as I continue to share my thoughts from my trip to Thessaloniki and explore the devastating history of the Jewish community there.