DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.24719#0151
THE CHURCHES OF THESSALONICA.
121
triumphal arch built with blocks of marble ; it consists of a single arch of the simple architectural
character of the first period of the Empire. Upon each of the external pedestals is a bas-relief,
representing a Roman cavalier on foot, holding his horse by the reins.
The entablature is of the Doric order, and the frieze is ornamented with garlands. An inscrip-
tion upon the internal face of the left pilaster contains the names of the seven politarchs
or town magistrates ; it is imperfect, and throws no light upon the date of work, nor upon
the motives for its construction. M. Letronne, who has commented upon this inscription,
considers it to be of the time of the Empire.
At the eastern end of the same street stand the remains of an imposing triumphal arch ;
as it was built of bricks, covered with slabs of marble, it has not resisted the effects of
time. Originally, it had three arches, and must have been very effective.
The bas-reliefs which still remain at the level of the impost represent, without doubt,
a triumphal march, similar in character to that represented on the Arch of Titus at Rome.
The figures are rather less than half life-size. There are to be seen legions with their ensigns,
dromedaries, and war chariots, but all mediocre in execution, and much damaged by the effects
of time. The smaller arches are engaged in the neighbouring houses, and at present it is
impossible to ascertain the exact height of the monument, as the level of the ground is far
above what it was originally; we can see, however, that it was more than 80 feet high.
Popular opinion attributes this arch to the time of Constantins, the conqueror of Licinius,
and of the barbarous nations of the East who rose in arms against him.
The other domestic edifices of Thessalonica are of inferior interest, with the exception of
the great caravanserai built by Amurath XI., which we shall give as an example of the xenodochia,
or hostelries, so common in Byzantine towns.
THE CHURCHES OF THESSALONICA.
f I THESSALONICA has three principal churches; viz., that of St. Sophia, that of the "Virgin
Mother of God, and that of St. Demetrius, Martyr, patron of Russia, and of the inhabitants
of Thessalonica. John Comeniata mentions them in the year 903, according to their importance
or ecclesiastical rank.
“ The town possesses some churches as remarkable for their sanctity as for the multitude
of precious ornaments they contain. We ought to mention first the beautiful church of the
Divine Wisdom, and that of the Most Holy Virgin Mother of God; afterwards that of the
most illustrious martyr Demetrius, who gained the palm in his glorious conflicts.” 1
Eustathius observes the same order2 in his account of the expedition of the Normans.
“ The Church of the Wisdom of the Word of God, that of the Mother of God, and that of our
most illustrious martyr the Myroblete.”
But after the time of Justinian, the churches, due to the imperial liberality, to voluntary
donations, or that were erected by religious confraternities, considerably increased in number,
and, the capital excepted, there was no Byzantine town that contained so many churches.
During M. Texier’s sojourn at Thessalonica, with the assistance of a dervish, he made a
list of all the mosques and churches in the town : we extract from it the names of all those
mosques which have been converted into churches.
They are as follows : —
1. Eski Djouma ; a church ornamented with twenty-four columns in the quarter of Tcharchi-
bachi, converted into a mosque by Sultan Amurath-Eettetmich in 832 of the Hegira. The esta-
blishment consists of a djami-imaum, two vaket-imaums, and two muezzins. Ibrahim Pasha built
a bath, which he gave in vakoof (endowment) to this church. The revenues of the mosque are
5,000 piastres per annum. The Government supplies it with oil and wax.
2. Aya Sofia; formerly the cathedral, converted into a mosque by Raktoub Ibrahim Pasha,
in the year 993 of the Hegira. It is the principal mosque of the town. It has for vakoof
1 Narration de VExpedition des Sarrazins, oh. xi.
2 Opusc., oh. yi. s. 2, p. 153.
2 i
121
triumphal arch built with blocks of marble ; it consists of a single arch of the simple architectural
character of the first period of the Empire. Upon each of the external pedestals is a bas-relief,
representing a Roman cavalier on foot, holding his horse by the reins.
The entablature is of the Doric order, and the frieze is ornamented with garlands. An inscrip-
tion upon the internal face of the left pilaster contains the names of the seven politarchs
or town magistrates ; it is imperfect, and throws no light upon the date of work, nor upon
the motives for its construction. M. Letronne, who has commented upon this inscription,
considers it to be of the time of the Empire.
At the eastern end of the same street stand the remains of an imposing triumphal arch ;
as it was built of bricks, covered with slabs of marble, it has not resisted the effects of
time. Originally, it had three arches, and must have been very effective.
The bas-reliefs which still remain at the level of the impost represent, without doubt,
a triumphal march, similar in character to that represented on the Arch of Titus at Rome.
The figures are rather less than half life-size. There are to be seen legions with their ensigns,
dromedaries, and war chariots, but all mediocre in execution, and much damaged by the effects
of time. The smaller arches are engaged in the neighbouring houses, and at present it is
impossible to ascertain the exact height of the monument, as the level of the ground is far
above what it was originally; we can see, however, that it was more than 80 feet high.
Popular opinion attributes this arch to the time of Constantins, the conqueror of Licinius,
and of the barbarous nations of the East who rose in arms against him.
The other domestic edifices of Thessalonica are of inferior interest, with the exception of
the great caravanserai built by Amurath XI., which we shall give as an example of the xenodochia,
or hostelries, so common in Byzantine towns.
THE CHURCHES OF THESSALONICA.
f I THESSALONICA has three principal churches; viz., that of St. Sophia, that of the "Virgin
Mother of God, and that of St. Demetrius, Martyr, patron of Russia, and of the inhabitants
of Thessalonica. John Comeniata mentions them in the year 903, according to their importance
or ecclesiastical rank.
“ The town possesses some churches as remarkable for their sanctity as for the multitude
of precious ornaments they contain. We ought to mention first the beautiful church of the
Divine Wisdom, and that of the Most Holy Virgin Mother of God; afterwards that of the
most illustrious martyr Demetrius, who gained the palm in his glorious conflicts.” 1
Eustathius observes the same order2 in his account of the expedition of the Normans.
“ The Church of the Wisdom of the Word of God, that of the Mother of God, and that of our
most illustrious martyr the Myroblete.”
But after the time of Justinian, the churches, due to the imperial liberality, to voluntary
donations, or that were erected by religious confraternities, considerably increased in number,
and, the capital excepted, there was no Byzantine town that contained so many churches.
During M. Texier’s sojourn at Thessalonica, with the assistance of a dervish, he made a
list of all the mosques and churches in the town : we extract from it the names of all those
mosques which have been converted into churches.
They are as follows : —
1. Eski Djouma ; a church ornamented with twenty-four columns in the quarter of Tcharchi-
bachi, converted into a mosque by Sultan Amurath-Eettetmich in 832 of the Hegira. The esta-
blishment consists of a djami-imaum, two vaket-imaums, and two muezzins. Ibrahim Pasha built
a bath, which he gave in vakoof (endowment) to this church. The revenues of the mosque are
5,000 piastres per annum. The Government supplies it with oil and wax.
2. Aya Sofia; formerly the cathedral, converted into a mosque by Raktoub Ibrahim Pasha,
in the year 993 of the Hegira. It is the principal mosque of the town. It has for vakoof
1 Narration de VExpedition des Sarrazins, oh. xi.
2 Opusc., oh. yi. s. 2, p. 153.
2 i