The commercial heart of Thessaloniki - Kapani Market, located in the very center, on Aristotle Square, is a place that smells of spices, fish, fabrics, and history. Since ancient times, this part of the city has been a trading zone, and the tradition of trade has continued through the Byzantine era, the Ottoman Empire, and up to the present day.

It is no coincidence that this market is preserved right next to the magnificent buildings that make Aristotle Square representative in every sense. We will reveal to you the history of this significant place, which will help you experience this market in a whole new light when buying fragrant spices.

The Development of Thessaloniki around Kapani Market Through the Centuries

Every city has its center, its heart where the most important things for all layers of the population take place, and those are the commercial centers. These are places of encounter and exchange of goods, ideas, the meeting of different worlds. And so it has been from ancient times to the present day. Thessaloniki is a city that strives to maintain the continuity of that place, despite contemporary modernization in urban planning.

The city, which peacefully developed during the Ottoman Empire, has been constantly changing since its liberation in 1912 until today. The great fire of 1917, followed by a new urban plan, and the reconstruction of the burned zone in an eclectic architectural style, then World War II and its aftermath, all have influenced its appearance that we can see today. In the midst of all this, the commercial heart of the city has continued to beat throughout the centuries at its central market, which extends from Venizelou Street and the Port to today’s Atonos Square and Egnatia Street.

From Antiquity to the Byzantine Era

Right in that area, around Egnatia Street towards the port, where today’s Kapani market and the bohemian district of Ladadika are located, there used to be a trading zone. During the Byzantine period, workshops were discovered along the street and a multitude of remains of bracelets, rings, small gold and silver items, indicating that it was also a craft center.

Evidence of this came to light during the excavation of the metro, which is a sort of museum, and you can read more about it here: Archaeological treasures discovered during the construction of the metro in Thessaloniki: from ancient past to the present..

Kapani during the Ottoman Rule - when it also received the name it carries today

During the years of Turkish rule (1430-1912), there were no residential houses in the trading zone. On the outskirts of the trading area, the so-called “Grain Market - Corn Market” - in Turkish Un Kapan, known to us today as Kapani Market, or Vlali Market, stretched - Kapani also served as a livestock market - where small animals, sheep, and poultry were sold. In its center, there used to be a well, which is now replaced by a fountain that served to water animals and today refreshes merchants and buyers.

In the center of the market, during the Revolution of 1821, the Turks hanged prominent figures, such as Hristos Menekses, Hristodoulos Balanos, Anastasios Kidoniatis, and many other participants in the uprising. Today, the Revolution in Greece is a national holiday celebrated on March 25th, which you can read about here: Independence Day and Pride of Greece.

19th Century to Present

The end of the 19th century brought new forms of work and professions - cafes, office buildings, and modern hotels began to replace old shops.

With a new plan for the historical center (after the fire of 1917), the appearance of the center of Thessaloniki changed fundamentally. The burned zone took on a completely new form and appearance. The influence of neoclassicism from Europe arrived in Thessaloniki with avenues, geometrically shaped squares, and the villas of famous merchants and prominent figures - residences, shops, banks.

The urban planners of modern Thessaloniki, aware of the importance of small entrepreneurs, designated a space from Kapani Market to Atonos Square for the establishment of small shops but also taverns, which in this area, in the spirit of a traditional bazaar, exist to this day.

The Market Today

While strolling through the magnificent Aristotle Square, with dazzling white facades bathed in sunlight, step into a narrow alley, looking from the top of the square towards the sea. There you will enter another world - a narrow alley with many small shops displaying their goods one or two meters in front of the shop. There are stalls, awnings, canopies, sacks, crates, voices, hands sifting through merchandise…. That is Kapani!

In recent years, Kapani Market has retained its unchanged appearance and is a real attraction worth visiting because it is a lively, authentic, traditional market in the center of a modern metropolis.

It is worth noting that the market today also houses some of the most charming taverns in the historical city center. With shops offering fresh products daily, spices, olives, fish, meat, clothing, and much more, Kapani today is not just the main city market but a place that, with its scents, flavors, and atmosphere, takes us back to the past.

Many of the shops are family businesses that have been passed down through the generations. Continuing towards the Port, there used to be the so-called Egyptian trading area with colonial products - Ladadika.

Kapani, Modiano, and Atonos Square are still the heart of the city’s commercial and gastronomic everyday life today, places filled with not only food and vegetable sellers but also numerous clothing stores, shoe stores, household appliance stores, and other various goods, as well as cafes, bakeries, small taverns in a traditional spirit, bustling with life.

Visiting Kapani Market is not just a journey through history but a unique experience in the modern era.

Market Hours by Day

Monday: 08:00 – 16:00
Tuesday: 08:00 – 21:00
Wednesday: 08:00 – 16:00
Thursday: 08:00 – 21:00
Friday: 08:00 – 21:00
Saturday: 08:00 – 16:00
Sunday: Closed

Kapani Market is just one part of what makes Thessaloniki so unique. The city is rich in history, culture, tastes, and unique experiences. If you want to learn more about these irresistible aspects of Thessaloniki, discover our guides and recommendations that will help you make your stay unforgettable. From the best restaurants and delicacies to historical monuments on the World Heritage List and practical parking tips in Thessaloniki, you can find all this and more in our articles.
Thessaloniki Guide - a text that will help you make the most of your time in Thessaloniki. It contains all the information you need.
Shops and malls for shopping in Thessaloniki
Where to try cakes and ice cream in Thessaloniki - best pastry shops
Monuments of Thessaloniki on the World Heritage List

You can learn more about green markets in Thessaloniki and market days throughout the city in our article here.

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