Arch of Galerius and Rotunda, Ancient Roman monument in central Thessaloniki, Greece.
The Arch of Galerius and Rotunda is an ancient Roman complex in central Thessaloniki featuring a triumphal gateway decorated with marble relief panels and a cylindrical tower topped with a massive brick dome about 80 feet (24.5 meters) wide. The structure shows clear Roman engineering and the detailed carved panels that once celebrated military achievements.
Emperor Galerius built this complex between 298 and 305 AD to honor his military victory over the Sassanid Persians. After its original purpose faded, the Rotunda was adapted for religious use first as a church and later as a mosque, reflecting the region's changing rulers and beliefs.
The Rotunda's interior walls display fragments of Byzantine religious mosaics that speak to its transformation from temple to church to mosque over centuries. Walking inside, you can still trace these layers of use in the worn surfaces and decorative remnants left by different faiths.
The site is open to visitors who can walk around freely and view the structures from the outside and interior where accessible. Guided tours are available and help explain the carved panels and the different architectural changes the site has gone through over time.
This site is all that remains of a large imperial palace complex that once had eight massive piers supporting it, with only three still standing today. These rare surviving pieces give a glimpse into the lost grandeur of Roman palace architecture from that era.
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