St. Nicolas Orphanos, Byzantine church in Upper Town, Greece
St. Nicolas Orphanos is a Byzantine church building located in the Upper Town of Thessaloniki, constructed with stone and brick walls topped by a wooden pitched roof. Its eastern side features symmetrically arranged chapels that reflect traditional Byzantine architectural design.
Built between 1310 and 1320 as a monastery church, it remained in religious use throughout the Ottoman period without being converted into a mosque. This continuous function as a church made it one of the few structures to maintain its original purpose.
The church takes its name from orphans once cared for here, and its interior walls are covered with 14th-century frescoes showing religious and military figures that dominated worship spaces of that era. Walking through these rooms gives visitors a sense of how faith was expressed and visualized in everyday church life.
The church stands between Irodotou and Apostolou Pavlou streets near the eastern walls of Thessaloniki, accessed through the narrow pathways of the old city. Walking through these steep and winding routes takes some time to navigate, so wear comfortable shoes and allow extra time.
The marble iconostasis from the original construction period remains in its exact position, making it a rare surviving example of Byzantine church furniture. Few churches retain such original interior elements in their original locations from this medieval period.
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