Church of the Taxiarchs, Byzantine church in Upper Town Thessaloniki, Greece.
The Church of the Taxiarchs is a Byzantine building with two stories and a timber-roofed main hall surrounded by a passage on three sides. The structure displays architectural details typical of orthodox worship spaces from this period.
The building was constructed around 1400 and later served as a mosque called İki Şerife Camii during Ottoman rule. It returned to its original purpose following Thessaloniki's liberation in 1912.
This church honors Archangels Michael and Gabriel, revered in Orthodox tradition as celestial commanders. Visitors can sense this spiritual role through the religious imagery and layout of the interior space.
The ground floor features arcosolia, built-in sarcophagi with arches that mark its past use as a burial space. When visiting, move carefully and watch for historical details throughout the interior.
The north wall displays blind arcading with half-columns, while the east facade features a five-sided sanctuary apse with patterned brickwork. These architectural details give the church its distinctive character and are easy to spot when you walk around.
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