Hagia Sophia
An 8th-century Byzantine church with important mosaics — a UNESCO monument.
About
Hagia Sophia is one of the oldest churches in Thessaloniki still in use — a living piece of Byzantine heritage in the city centre.
History & architecture
It dates to the 8th century and follows the cross-in-square domed type — a model that influenced later Byzantine architecture. It served as the city's metropolitan church and, under the Ottomans, as a mosque.
What you'll see
The highlight is the surviving mosaics, above all the scene of the Ascension in the dome, on a gold ground.
UNESCO
One of the 15 UNESCO monuments of Thessaloniki, on the square of the same name in the centre.
FAQs
When was Hagia Sophia built?
It dates to the 8th century and is one of the city's oldest churches still in use.
Updated: 10 September 2026
Where to eat nearby
Boston — Breakfast, Coffee & More
Breakfast, coffee and snacks to take away or delivered. The chain's branch on Konstantinou Karamanli.
★7.0 kmMavri Thalassa
A seafood restaurant overlooking the sea in Nea Krini. A family story that began in 1926 as an Asia Minor refugee's kafeneio.
Where to stay nearby
Similar
★White Tower
Thessaloniki's symbol on the waterfront: a 15th-century tower with a museum and city views.
★Rotunda (St George)
An imposing 4th-century Roman rotunda, a UNESCO monument with early-Christian mosaics.
★Arch of Galerius (Kamara)
A 4th-century Roman triumphal arch and the city's classic central meeting point.
★Church of Saint Demetrios
The city's largest church, dedicated to its patron saint. A UNESCO monument.