Thessaloniki Church of the Holy Apostles

Location: Town Centre

The church of the Holy Apostles is adjacent to the western walls of Thessaloniki and the most important structure depicting the art of the Palaiologian Era (1261-1453) when the city enjoyed prosperity economically- and politically-wise.

According to surviving inscriptions, the church was founded thanks to the sponsorship of the Ecumenical Patriarch Niphon I between 1310 and 1314. Yet, about a century after the fall of Thessaloniki to the Ottomans, Pasha Cerezi Kasim converted it into a mosque. Many interventions were made during the Ottoman period, including the bell tower’s demolition.

This church used to be the katholikon of a monastery. It was initially dedicated to the Virgin Mary, a fact proven by the array of frescoes depicting scenes from Her life. Its current name was established later because of a tradition claiming that the church had 12 domes symbolizing the Twelve Apostles.

Externally, the rich ceramic decoration, covering mainly the eastern side of the church, is quite impressive. A large dome covers the central part, framed by four smaller domes at the corners of the stoa. In the nave, the enchanting mosaics imitate the famous mosaics of the Chora Monastery in Constantinople. Unfortunately, they were severely damaged when the Turks removed the golden tesserae. The beautiful frescoes are also noteworthy.

Note that this church is one of the Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessaloniki belonging to the Cultural Sites of the UNESCO World Heritage List!