Nine Photos of Salonika
At the end of June I flew from New York to Rome and from Rome to Thessaloniki, in Northern Greece. Thessaloniki is also called Salonika. (or is Salonica better?) Here are some photos:
Clockwise from upper left: The White Tower, the seashore, a portion of the western wall near the old Vardar Gate, Mehmet Kapantzis Mansion east of the old town, upper town with part of its wall, Square and streetstairs in the upper town during a rain storm, Salonika under storm clouds, Arch of Galeraius, Umbrella sculpture on the seawalk east of town (center).
The White Tower was a fort, then a prison. The umbrellas date to Thessaloniki’s rise to Cultural Capital of Europe in 97; they get lit up at night (follow the link). The Upper Town was the Turkish section; the only part of old Salonika that escaped the 1917 fire, was repopulated by refugees from Asia Minor, and avoided having its streets widened and straightened. The Walls were broken in a few places to let a breeze into the city, but are remarkably intact.
JD2718 
sorry to contradict : the building attributed to banker Mehmet Kapandji belonged, actually, to his brother Ahmet Kapandji (location : n°105 Queen Olga avenue). Mehmet Kapandji’s house is located a few blocks away (n°108 Queen Olga avenue), on the other side of the avenue and has been retored by the National Bank of Greece. It has a very different and particular modern style look…
No need to be sorry, thank you for the more accurate information. It was a 100 degree day I walked Queen Olga Avenue (from the wall to the end), and I was having trouble matching the mansions with the guidebook.
Want to see Salonika as it looked in the early 1950s?
Was a Foreign Service officer there just after the communist civil war. With wife and daughter lived there thtree years. (Her school was on the campus of Anatolia College.)
As I look at present-day photos of Salonika, I am saddened by what time has done to the place.
Do you have photos posted somewhere?
I am absolutely fascinated by this city and its history. I’ve visited twice, and wouldn’t mind visiting again and again.