During your visit to Thessaloniki, while strolling around the city and its main streets, you will come across many churches which are true gems in Christian, especially early Christian culture, and are also on the UNESCO World Heritage List (see here).

The Church of Panagia Acheiropoietos is the most important preserved example of an early Christian basilica in Greece. Built in the mid-5th century, it is a rare church that has almost completely preserved its original form for over 2,000 years.

Of interest to visitors is the glass part of the floor, where you can see the oldest preserved mosaics that once decorated the floor of the ancient Roman bathhouse on which the basilica was built.

The church is located in the center of Thessaloniki, on Agias Sofias street, near the intersection with Egnatia street and close to the Agias Sofias metro station, making it easy to visit during your stay in Thessaloniki.

About the church

Written sources indicate that the church was dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos from its founding in the mid-5th century.

Excavations have confirmed that Acheiropoietos was built above the remains of Roman baths, while ancient travelers believed that in ancient times a temple dedicated to Thermaic Aphrodite, the deity of the sea and fertility, stood on the site.

In the narthex of the church, a mosaic with an inscription mentioning the name of the priest Andreas was found. This inscription allowed for the precise dating of the church’s construction to the third quarter of the 5th century.

The church was built above a Roman bathhouse (balaneion), and the mosaics of that bathhouse are integrated into the church floor, forming its oldest layer. The mosaics depict floral and animal designs and the symbolism of early Christianity. In the northern aisle of the church, mosaics with distinctive geometric designs from the Roman period have been preserved.

These floor mosaics with geometric and floral motifs, executed in the complex technique of tesserae, date back to the 4th century, when this bathhouse was part of a large urban complex extending north of the Roman agora.

During the early Christian period, the northeastern part of the bathhouse was still in use, so the mosaics literally “bridged” two worlds - pagan and Christian, old and new faith.

Meaning of the name “Αχειροποίητος” - “Acheiropoietos”

“Acheiropoietos” denotes something not made by human hands. The term is mainly used to describe religious objects, such as statues and icons, traditionally believed to be created by divine intervention rather than human.

The name Acheiropoietos is first mentioned in a document from 1320 and is associated with the icon of the Theotokos Deomeni that was located in the church.

The Theotokos Deomeni is one of the most important iconographic types of the Theotokos in Orthodox Christian tradition. The term “Deomeni” comes from the verb “δέομαι” - “deome,” meaning “to pray.”
In iconography, the Theotokos is depicted in a prayerful posture, with raised hands on the sides, expressing her prayer and intercession for humanity.

Saint Demetrius was also venerated in this church. For this reason, during the Byzantine period, the church was an essential stop during the litany on the eve of the feast of the patron saint of Thessaloniki.

Throughout the turbulent history of Thessaloniki, the church witnessed many events.
In 1345, numerous Thessalonian Zealots (a Byzantine movement for the rights of the oppressed) were executed there during political unrest in Byzantium.
In 1430, after the fall of Thessaloniki to Ottoman rule, Sultan Murad converted the church into a mosque known as Eski Mosque and designated it as the main mosque in the city.

After the Great Fire of 1917, the church served as a shelter for the victims, and in 1922, it provided refuge for refugees from Asia Minor.

In 1930, following restoration, it was rededicated to the Theotokos and reopened for worship.

Architecture of the Acheiropoietos Church

The Acheiropoietos Church was built on the complex of public Roman baths. Architecturally, it belongs to the type of three-aisled basilica with a wooden roof and gallery. To the west is the narthex, connected to the central, three-aisled part. The three aisles of the church are separated from each other by colonnades.
In the middle of the southern side, a small building was attached, which was originally either a martyrium or a baptistery.
The northern aisle of the church ends in the east with the Middle Byzantine chapel of St. Irene.

Among the rich sculptural architectural decorations of the church, the columns and complex Corinthian capitals of the church stand out. They are made of the famous white Proconnesian marble and come from workshops in Constantinople.

The ornamental work made of green Thessalian marble is also exceptional.

Of particular interest are the mosaics preserved on the internal ridges of the colonnade arches.
Botanical and geometric designs, animals, and Christian symbols are executed with excellent technique. Today, they are protected by a glass floor, allowing believers and visitors to see them.

Several frescoes adorning the southern aisle of the church date back to the first half of the 13th century and are preserved in a poorer condition. The depicted figures are part of the representation of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste.

This large and significant church, a unique example of early Christian architecture, has undergone significant damage throughout its history, which has been completely restored to this day.

Opening hours: daily 08:00 - 12:00 and 17:00 - 19:00

The Church of Panagia Acheiropoietos celebrates the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on August 15th.

Address: Agias Sofias 56, 54635 Thessaloniki
Location on the map

For more information about other historical, cultural, and religious monuments on the UNESCO World Heritage List located in Thessaloniki, read and discover here: Monuments of Thessaloniki on the World Heritage List
Find many more interesting but also practical contents and tips for visiting Thessaloniki in our Thessaloniki Guide.

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