2026 PRE-CONGRESS
WALKING TOUR OF THESSALONIKI
TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2026, 10:00AM – 1:00PM
The 2026 MSA Pre-Congress Walking Tour in Thessaloniki will highlight the Galerian Complex located in the heart of old Roman Thessaloniki. It was erected in the late 3rd century-early 4th century AD, when the Emperor Galerius (293-311 AD) chose Thessaloniki as the Capital of the Eastern Roman Empire.
THE ARCH AND ROTUNDA OF GALERIUS
Galerius commissioned these two structures as elements of an imperial precinct linked to his Thessaloniki palace.
The Rotunda was a massive circular masonry structure that had an oculus like the Pantheon in Rome. It was built around AD 305-311, but its initial function is lost. It could have been intended to be a mausoleum or a Roman temple dedicated to the imperial cult. Subsequently, it served as a church with its dome decorated with outstanding Byzantine mosaics.
THE ARCH OF GALERIUS
South of the Rotunda is the triumphal arch, probably built between 298 and 299. It was officially dedicated in 303 to commemorate Galerius’ victorious campaign against the Persians. The Arch of Galerius was part of the larger palatial complex. Once a large, impressive structure, formed of eight pillars supporting three archways, it has survived in a fragmentary state, with only the two central interior pillars remaining.
APSIDAL HALL, OCTAGON AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
The archaeological site extends over 97,000 square ft, with the Palace of Galerius being one of the best-preserved imperial residences of late antiquity in Europe.
The building known as the Apsidal Hall in Thessaloniki had an exterior resembling a basilica, with an apse. Inside, are two rooms, connected to one another, each with its own entrance
The Octagon
The walls are intact and reveal a great room that is clearly an octagon but with the addition of semicircular niches on seven of the sides. It was originally intended as a throne room or the formal audience hall of the Galerian Palace. However, it was unfinished when Galerius died and, like the Rotonda, never fulfilled its intended use.
HAGIA SOPHIA
The cathedral and pilgrimage church of Hagia Sophia (The Wisdom of God) is in the historical center of Thessaloniki. Dating from the 7th century (Iconoclastic Period (726-787)), it is one of the oldest churches in the city still standing. In the Iconoclastic era, the church apse was embellished with plain gold mosaics and one great cross. Today there are remarkable mosaics surviving in the altar and the dome, which date from three different periods (8th, 9th, 12th centuries) and are excellent examples of Byzantine art. The majestic representation of the Ascension of Christ in the dome belongs to the end of the 9th century.
The walking tour will end at the 112 ft White Tower of Thessaloniki, a monument and museum on the city waterfront which has been adopted as the city’s symbol. The present tower replaced an older Byzantine tower from the 12th-century. The present tower was constructed by the Ottomans sometime after the captured Thessaloniki in 1430. The Tower was used by the Ottomans successively as a fortress, garrison, and a prison. Today it houses a museum dedicated to the history of Thessaloniki and is one of the city's leading tourist attractions. The top of the White Tower offers a panoramic view of the city and the Thermaic Gulf.