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Seafront, Nikis Avenue

Throughout this route, the core of the city is in direct contact with the water.

  1. Modern and Contemporary era (1912 - )


  2. Ottoman era (1453- 1912)


    1869 The coastal wall was demolished.

    1870 Incised.

    1876 At the height top of Eleftherias Square, the Ottoman administration set up 7 gallows, and 7 Roma were unjustly hanged for the lynching of the consuls of France and Germany by the Turkish mob. The execution took place in the presence of military units from England, France, Russia, Germany and Greece.

    1903 Officially inaugurated.

  3. Byzantine era (331 AC- 1453)


  4. Roman era (30 BC- 330 AC)


  5. Hellenistic era (322- 31 BC)


  6. Classical era (478-323 BC)


  7. Archaic era (800-479 BC)


  8. Geometric era (-1100- 800 BC)


  9. Prehistory (-1100 BC)


What I can see

Thessaloniki’s Seafront (i.e. the section from the port until September 3rd Street), is rightfully considered the “backbone” of the city’s vitality and its activities. Throughout this route, the core of the city exists in direct contact with the water. It is great for walking, jogging or cycling (especially in the morning, when not crowded) and entertainment. Nikis Avenue is full of cafes, which bustle with energy throughout the day, mainly thanks to gathering students. By night, the Seafront area is where the heart of the city’s nightlife beats where bars, clubs with mainstream music and LGBTQ-friendly places make up a diverse setting. At Nikis Avenue and the adjacent streets, there are still many Greek cuisine restaurants, which rightfully maintain the reputation and tradition of Thessaloniki as a great culinary destination. Olympos-Naoussa was one such historic restaurant in the area.

What I can't see

The 1,650 metres-long seafront was developed during the Ottoman period, following the demolition of the coastal wall, in the context of modernizing the city. The wall’s materials were used for the embankment of the seafront. A quay, port buildings, a thoroughfare (currently Nikis Av.) and plots were subsequently created. The coastline was extended from Proxenou Koromila Street to the current coast. It is unknown what else was buried along with the materials of the demolished walls. It is a historical case of urban revitalization. The infamous, damp, unhealthy and smelly houses of the sea wall suddenly became sought after, and the value of the land skyrocketed as soon as it was demolished and the coast was built. The project cost a total of 100,000 Turkish liras. It was inaugurated with rams slaughtering, according to Islamic tradition.

Bibliography

Anastasiadis G., Hekimoglou E., (2000), Όταν η Θεσσαλονίκη μπήκε στον 20ο αιώνα, τα διακόσια σημαντικότερα γεγονότα που συνέβησαν στην πόλη από το 1900 ως το 1910, [When Thessaloniki entered the 20th century, the two hundred most important incidents of the city between 1900- 1910], Thessaloniki: University Studio Press

Αnastasiadis Α., Hekimoglou Ε., (1997), Η Διαδρομή της μνήμης, [The route of memory], University Studio Press

Field observation by scientific editors