Thessaloniki Agios Nikolaos Orfanos Church

Location: Old Town Ano Poli

The church of Agios Nikolaos Orfanos is located on the eastern walls of the Old Town of Thessaloniki, between Irodotou and Apostolou Pavlou streets. It is thought to have been built sometime around the early 14th century and in the 17th century it became the dependency of the Vlatadon Monastery. The name Agios Nikolaos Orfanos (Saint Nicholas the Orphan) is attributed to the fact that Agios Nikolaos was the patron saint of the orphans and the widows. Another suggestion is that it originated from its founder, a member of the Orfanos family.

The church was originally constructed as a single-aisled edifice, with more aisles being added later on. Today, it features an oblong, wooden-roofed hall, surrounded by a portico. The main hall communicates with the side lofts through openings. Inside, there is a marble temple, that reveals the period of its construction.

Although its architecture is relatively simple, the church has remarkable decoration; in fact, its great frescoes stand out as one of the best preserved in Thessaloniki. These frescoes were first discovered in 1957, while the monument was being restored, and are attributed to a Serbian monk. They depict scenes from the life of Agios Nikolaos and other saints and prophets. They also represent scenes from the Old and New Testaments.

Because of its unique historical significance, the Church of Agios Nikolaos Orfanos is one of the Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessaloniki included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988. It is open to visitors on Monday and Thursday, from 10:00 to 13:00.