Church of the Holy Apostles (Thessaloniki)

For other places with the same name, see Church of the Holy Apostles (disambiguation).

UNESCO World Heritage Site in Macedonia, Greece

Church of the Holy ApostlesUNESCO World Heritage Site

The Church of the Holy Apostles

Location| Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece
Part of| Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki
Criteria| Cultural: (i), (ii), (iv)
Reference| 456-009
Inscription| 1988 (12th Session)
Area| 0.16 ha (0.40 acres)
Coordinates| 40°38′34″N 22°56′15″E﻿ / ﻿40.642838888889°N 22.937547222222°E﻿ / 40.642838888889; 22.937547222222

Location of Church of the Holy Apostles in Greece

The Church of the Holy Apostles (Greek: Ἅγιοι Ἀπόστολοι) is a 14th-century Byzantine church in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki. Because of its outstanding Byzantine mosaics and architecture, and its testimony to the importance of Thessaloniki in early and medieval Christianity, the church is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List along with other Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki.[1]

Southern dome

## Location

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The church is located at the start of Olympou Street, near the city's western medieval walls.[2]

## History and description

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Mosaic of 14th century

As evidenced by remnants of a column to the south of the church and a cistern to its northwest, it originally formed part of a larger complex. Consequently, it appears that the church was originally built as the katholikon of a monastery.[2]

The date of its construction is not entirely clear: the founder's inscription above the entrance, the monograms in the capitals and other inscriptions refer to Nephon I, Patriarch of Constantinople in 1310–1314, as the ktetor. Another inscription on the eastern wall commemorates the same patriarch and his pupil, the hegumenos Paul, as first and second ktetores respectively. Recent analysis using carbon-14 however points to a later date for the entire structure, ca. 1329. A depiction of the hegumenos Paul kneeling before Mary, as well as a series of Marian scenes lead to the conclusion that the church was dedicated to Mary, perhaps to be identified with the Monastery of Theotokos Gorgoepikoos.[2][3]

The building belongs to the type of the composite, five-domed cross-in-square churches, with four supporting columns. It also features a narthex with a U-shaped peristoon (an ambulatory with galleries), with small domes at each corner. There are also two small side-chapels to the east. The exterior walls feature rich decoration with a variety of brick-work patterns.[2][4]

The interior gives a very vertical impression, as the ratio of height to width of the church's central bay is 5 to 1. The interior decoration consists of rich mosaics on the upper levels, inspired by Constantinopolitan models. These are particularly important as some of the last examples of Byzantine mosaics (and the last of their kind in Thessaloniki itself). Frescoes complete the decoration on the lower levels of the main church, but also on the narthex and one of the chapels. These too show influence from Constantinople, and were possibly executed by a workshop from the imperial capital, perhaps the same which decorated the Chora Church. They were probably carried out under the patronage of the hegumenos Paul, after 1314 or in the period 1328–1334.[2][5]

With the conquest of the city by the Ottoman Turks, in ca. 1520–1530 the church was converted into a mosque with the name Soğuksu Camii ("Mosque of the Cold Water"). As was their usual practice, the Ottomans covered the mosaics and frescoes with plaster, after they removed the gold tesserae. The church's modern name, "Holy Apostles", was not attributed to the building until the 19th century.[2]

Restoration and the gradual revealing of the frescoes began in 1926. After the 1978 earthquake, the building was strengthened, and in 2002, the mosaics were cleaned up.[2]

## See also

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* History of Roman and Byzantine domes

## References

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1. ^ "Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki". UNESCO World Heritage Convention. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
2. ^ a b c d e f g Ναός Αγίων Αποστόλων, Θεσσαλονίκη, Hellenic Ministry of Culture (in Greek), retrieved 2010-04-21
3. ^ Kazhdan, Alexander, ed. (1991), Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium, Oxford University Press, p. 940, ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6
4. ^ Kazhdan, Alexander, ed. (1991), Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium, Oxford University Press, pp. 940–941, ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6
5. ^ Kazhdan, Alexander, ed. (1991), Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium, Oxford University Press, p. 941, ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6

## External links

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Media related to Church of the Twelve Apostles, Thessaloniki at Wikimedia Commons

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Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki

UNESCO|

* Arch of Galerius and Rotunda
* Byzantine Bath
* Church of the Acheiropoietos
* Church of Hagios Demetrios
* Church of St. Catherine
* Hagia Sophia
* Church of the Holy Apostles
* Vlatades Monastery
* Church of St. Nicholas Orphanos
* Church of Panagia Chalkeon
* Church of St. Panteleimon
* Church of the Saviour
* Church of Prophet Elijah
* Church of Hosios David (Latomos Monastery)
* City Walls

Other|

* Baptistery of St. John the Baptist
* Cemetery Basilica
* Heptapyrgion
* Church of the Archangels
* Church of Taxiarches

Museums|

* Museum of Byzantine Culture

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World Heritage Sites in Greece

North|

* Aigai
* Mount Athos
* Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki
* City Walls
* Rotunda
* Church of the Acheiropoietos
* Church of Saint Demetrios
* Latomou Monastery
* Church of Hagia Sophia
* Church of Panagia Chalkeon
* Church of Saint Panteleimon
* Church of the Holy Apostles
* Church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos
* Church of Saint Catherine
* Church of the Saviour
* Vlatades Monastery
* Church of Prophet Elijah
* Byzantine Bath
* Philippi
* Zagori

Central|

* Delphi
* Temple of Athena Pronaia
* Tholos
* Athenian Treasury
* Gymnasium
* Stoa of the Athenians
* Temple of Apollo
* Hosios Loukas
* Meteora
* Old Town of Corfu

Attica|

* Acropolis of Athens
* Daphni Monastery

South|

* Epidaurus
* Mycenae and Tiryns
* Lion Gate
* Tomb of Aegisthus
* Treasury of Atreus
* Tomb of Clytemnestra
* Grave Circle A
* Grave Circle B
* Mystras
* Olympia
* Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae

Aegean Islands|

* Delos
* Medieval City of Rhodes
* Grand Master's Palace
* Fortifications
* Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse
* Nea Moni of Chios
* Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States
* Greece
* Israel

Geographic|

* Pleiades

Other|

* Kulturenvanteri monument

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