nightview of Thessaloniki 40x40cm

Thessaloniki (Greek: Θεσσαλονίκη), also known as Thessalonica or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of Macedonia, the administrative region of Central Macedonia and the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace. Its honorific title is Συμπρωτεύουσα (Symprotévousa), literally "co-capital", and stands as a reference to its historical status as the Συμβασιλεύουσα (Symvasilévousa) or "co-reigning" city of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, alongside Constantinople. Thessaloniki is Greece's second major economic, industrial, commercial and political centre, and a major transportation hub for the rest of southeastern Europe; its commercial port is also of great importance for Greece and the southeastern European hinterland. The city is renowned for its festivals, events and vibrant cultural life in general, and is considered to be Greece's cultural capital. Events such as the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival are held annually, while the city also hosts the largest bi-annual meeting of the Greek diaspora. Thessaloniki is the 2014 European Youth Capital.

Founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon - he named it after his wife Thessalonike, a half-sister of Alexander the Great and princess of Macedon as daughter of Philip II - Thessaloniki's history spans some 2,300 years. An important metropolis by the Roman period, Thessaloniki was the second largest and wealthiest city of the Byzantine Empire. Thessaloniki is home to numerous notable Byzantine monuments, including the Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as several Roman, Ottoman and Sephardic Jewish structures. The city's main university, Aristotle University, is the largest in Greece and the Balkans. Thessaloniki is a popular tourist destination in Greece. In 2010, Lonely Planet ranked Thessaloniki as the world's fifth-best party city worldwide, comparable to other cities such as Dubai and Montreal. For 2013 National Geographic Magazine included Thessaloniki in its top tourist destinations worldwide, while in 2014 Financial Times FDI magazine (Foreign Direct Investments) declared Thessaloniki as the best mid-sized European city of the future for human capital and lifestyle.
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Θεσσαλονίκη - Νίκος Καββαδίας (1910-1975)

Ἤτανε κείνη τὴ νυχτιὰ ποὺ φύσαγε ὁ Βαρδάρης,
τὸ κύμα ἡ πλώρη ἐκέρδιζεν ὀργιὰ μὲ τὴν ὀργιά.
Σ᾿ ἔστειλε ὁ πρῶτος τὰ νερὰ νὰ πᾶς γιὰ νὰ γραδάρεις,
μὰ ἐσὺ θυμᾶσαι τὴ Σμαρὼ καὶ τὴν Καλαμαριά.

Ξέχασες κεῖνο τὸ σκοπὸ ποὺ λέγανε οἱ Χιλιάνοι
-Ἅγιε Νικόλα φύλαγε κι Ἅγια Θαλασσινή.-
Τυφλὸ κορίτσι σ᾿ ὁδηγάει, παιδὶ τοῦ Modigliani,
ποὺ τ᾿ ἀγαποῦσε ὁ δόκιμος κι οἱ δύο Μαρμαρινοί.

(Νερὸ καλάρει τὸ Fore Peak, νερὸ καὶ τὰ πανιόλα
μὰ ἐσένα μία παράξενη ζαλάδα σὲ κινεῖ.
Μὲ στάμπα ποὺ δὲν φαίνεται σὲ κέντησε ἡ Σπανιόλα
ἢ τὸ κορίτσι ποὺ χορεύει ἀπάνω στὸ σκοινί;)

Ἀπάνω στὸ γιατάκι σου φίδι νωθρὸ κοιμᾶται
καὶ φέρνει βόλτες ψάχνοντας τὰ ροῦχα σου ἡ μαϊμού.
Ἐκτὸς ἀπὸ τὴ μάνα σου κανεὶς δὲν σὲ θυμᾶται
σὲ τοῦτο τὸ τρομακτικὸ ταξίδι τοῦ χαμοῦ.

(Ὁ ναύτης ρίχνει τὰ χαρτιὰ κι ὁ θερμαστὴς τὸ ζάρι
κι αὐτὸς ποὺ φταίει καὶ δὲ νογάει, παραπατάει λοξά.
Θυμήσου κεῖνο τὸ στενὸ κινέζικο παζάρι
καὶ τὸ κορίτσι πού ῾κλαιγε πνιχτὰ μὲς στὸ ρικσά.)

Κάτω ἀπὸ φῶτα κόκκινα κοιμᾶται ἡ Σαλονίκη.
Πρὶν δέκα χρόνια μεθυσμένη μοῦ ῾πες «σ᾿ ἀγαπῶ».
Αὔριο, σὰν τότε, καὶ χωρὶς χρυσάφι στὸ μανίκι,
μάταια θὰ ψάχνεις τὸ στρατὶ ποὺ πάει γιὰ τὸ Depot.

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Thessaloniki - Nikos Kavvadias (1910-1975)

It was on that night when the Vardaris (strong north wind) was blowing
the prow conquering the wave, fathom after fathom.
The engineer has sent you to check the boiler water,
but you are remembering Smaro and Kalamaria.

You have forgotten that tune that the Chileans used to play.
- Holy Nicolas protect us, and Our Lady of the Sea -
The blind girl is guiding you, a child of Modigliani,
the cadet used to love her, and the two guys from Marmara.

(...)

Above your bunk a lazy snake is sleeping
and the monkey is turning in circles searching your clothes.
Excepting your mother nobody remembers you
on this frightful journey of disaster.

(...)

Under her red lights Thessaloniki is asleep.
Ten years ago girl, drunk, you told me "I love you"
Tomorrow just like then and with no gold on your sleeve
you will be, in vain, looking for the way to the Depot.