Church of Panayia Halkeion

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Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Church of Panayia Halkeon
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, ii, iv
Reference	456
Region**	Europe and North America
Coordinates	40°38′N 22°56′E / 40.633°N 22.933°E / 40.633; 22.933
Inscription history
Inscription	1988  (12th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO.

The Church of Panaghia Halkéōn is a church in the Greek city of Thessaloniki. It is located north of the Via Egnatia that bisects the city, where it crosses with the Via Aristotelous that leads to the Aristotelous Square. Salonicans commonly call it Kókkini Ekklisiá (the Red Church).

[edit] History

The church was build in the eleventh century by a protospatharios by the name of Christophoros on top of an ancient temple dedicated to Hephaestus ^[1]. This Christophoros is also buried inside the church.

The ground plan is that of a classic "cross-in-square-form", and the church is most notable for its frescoes in the cupola and the elegant brick walls.

The church is named after the area of the city it is in, the Halkadika or coppersmith part of the town. During the Ottoman times, the church was a mosque dedicated to the coppersmith guild.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Church of Panaghia Halkéōn

• Hellenic Ministry of Culture

v • d • e World Heritage Sites in Greece Acropolis of Athens · Aigai · Old Town of Corfu  · Delos · Delphi · Epidaurus · Mycenae and Tiryns · Mystras · Olympia · Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse · Daphni Monastery · Hosios Loukas · Nea Moni of Chios · Meteora · Mount Athos · Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonica: (Hagios Demetrios, Arch and Tomb of Galerius, Hagia Sophia, Church of Panayia Halkeion, Church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos, Church of the Holy Apostles, Church of the Acheiropoietos, Monastery of Latomos, Church of Saint Panteleimon) · Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos · Medieval city of Rhodes · Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae

Coordinates: 40°38′12.51″N 22°56′37.45″E / 40.6368083°N 22.9437361°E / 40.6368083; 22.9437361