Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
during the Hesychast spiritual movement, as attested by a fresco of St Gregory Palamas,
Hesychasm's spiritual leader. Other remarkable frescoes date from 1360-80.
A now-lost imperial
chrysobull
(gold-sealed decree) of the Byzantine Empress indic-
ates Anna Paleologina endowed Vlatadon, which still preserves a rich archive of docu-
ments dating to the 15th century.
Church of Osios David
CHURCH
(Vlatadon 1; 9am-noon & 4-6pm Mon-Sat)
This little 5th-century church allegedly com-
memorated the baptism site of the anti-Christian Galerius' daughter, Theodora, a cere-
mony conducted secretly while her father was away on business. It contains well-pre-
served mosaics and rare 12th-century frescoes depicting the baptism of Christ.
Church of Nikolaos Orfanos
CHURCH
MAP
( 2310 213 627; Irodotou 20; 8.30am-2.30pm Tue-Sun)
This 4th-century church has su-
perb (though age-darkened) frescoes. To preserve them, candles are only lit during
Sunday-morning mass.
Archaeological Museum
MUSEUM
( 2310 830 538;
www.amth.gr
; Manoli Andronikou 6; adult/student/child €6/3/free;
8am-3pm)
Macedonia's major prehistoric, ancient Macedonian and Hellenistic finds are
here, except for Vergina's gold tomb finds, which are exhibited in Vergina. The
Derveni
Crater
(330-320 BC) is a huge, ornate Hellenistic bronze-and-tin vase. Used for mixing
wine and water, and later as a funerary urn, it's marked by intricate relief carvings of
Dionysos, with mythical figures, animals and ivy vines.
The
Derveni Treasure
contains Greece's oldest surviving papyrus piece (250-320
BC). The ground-floor exhibit, Pre-Historic Thessaloniki, boasts the
Petralona Hoard
of
prehistoric implements from the Petralona Cave north of Halkidiki, plus Neolithic and
Bronze Age daggers, pottery and tools.
A compound ticket (€8) grants admission to the Byzantine Museum too.
Museum of Byzantine Culture
MUSEUM
( 2313 306 400;
www.mbp.gr
;
Leof Stratou 2; €4; 8am-8pm Tue-Sun)
With ambient light-
ing and running wall-placard text, this cool museum explains more than 3000 Byzantine
objects, including frescoes, mosaics, embroidery, ceramics, inscriptions and some early-
