Thessaloniki (Greek: Θεσσαλονίκη [θesaloˈnici] (
listen)) is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of Greek Macedonia, the administrative region of Central Macedonia and the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace.[3][4]Its nickname is η Συμπρωτεύουσα (Symprotévousa), literally "the co-capital",[5] a reference to its historical status as the Συμβασιλεύουσα (Symvasilévousa) or "co-reigning" city of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, alongside Constantinople.[6]
listen)) is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of Greek Macedonia, the administrative region of Central Macedonia and the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace.[3][4]Its nickname is η Συμπρωτεύουσα (Symprotévousa), literally "the co-capital",[5] a reference to its historical status as the Συμβασιλεύουσα (Symvasilévousa) or "co-reigning" city of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, alongside Constantinople.[6]
The municipality of Thessaloniki, the historical center, had a population of 385,406[1] in 2007, while the Thessaloniki Urban Areahad a population of 800,764.[1] and the Thessaloniki Metropolitan Area had 1,104,460 inhabitants in 2011.[7]
Thessaloniki is Greece's second major economic, industrial, commercial and political centre, and a major transportation hub for the rest of southeastern Europe;[8] its commercial port is also of great importance for Greece and the southeastern European hinterland.[8] The city is renowned for its festivals, events and vibrant cultural life in general,[9] and is considered to be Greece's cultural capital.[9] 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.[10] Thessaloniki is the 2014 European Youth Capital.[11]
The city of Thessaloniki was founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon. An important metropolis by the Roman period, Thessaloniki was the second largest and wealthiest city of the Byzantine Empire. It was conquered by the Ottomans in 1430, and passed from the Ottoman Empire to modern Greece on 8 November 1912.
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.[12]
Thessaloniki is a popular tourist destination in Greece. For 2013, National Geographic Magazine included Thessaloniki in its top tourist destinations worldwide,[13] 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.[14][15]
Climate[edit]
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Thessaloniki's climate is directly affected by the sea it is situated on.[119] The city lies in a transitional climatic zone, so its climate displays characteristics of several climates. According to the Köppen climate classification, it is a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) that borders on a semi-arid climate (BSk), with annual average precipitation of 450 mm (17.7 inches) due to the Pindus rain shadow drying the westerly winds. However, the city has a summer precipitation between 20 to 30 mm (0.79 to 1.18 inches), which borders it close to a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Csa).
Winters are relatively dry, with common morning frost. Snowfalls are sporadic, but οccur more or less every winter, but the snow cover does not last for more than a few days. Fog is common, with an average of 193 foggy days in a year.[120] During the coldest winters, temperatures can drop to −10 °C (14 °F).[120] The record minimum temperature in Thessaloniki was −14 °C (7 °F).[121] On average, Thessaloniki experiences frost (sub-zero temperature) 32 days a year.[120] The coldest month of the year in the city is January, with an average 24-hour temperature of 6 °C (43 °F).[122] Wind is also usual in the winter months, with December and January having an average wind speed of 26 km/h (16 mph).[120]
Thessaloniki's summers are hot with rather humid nights.[120] Maximum temperatures usually rise above 30 °C (86 °F),[120] but rarely go over 40 °C (104 °F);[120] the average number of days the temperature is above 32 °C (90 °F) is 32.[120] The maximum recorded temperature in the city was 42 °C (108 °F).[120][121] Rain seldom falls in summer, mainly during thunderstorms. In the summer months Thessaloniki also experiences strong heat waves.[123] The hottest month of the year in the city is July, with an average 24-hour temperature of 26 °C (79 °F).[122] The average wind speed for June and July in Thessaloniki is 20 kilometres per hour (12 mph).[120]
| [hide]Climate data for Thessaloniki | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 20.8 (69.4) | 22.0 (71.6) | 25.8 (78.4) | 31.2 (88.2) | 36.0 (96.8) | 39.8 (103.6) | 42.0 (107.6) | 38.2 (100.8) | 36.2 (97.2) | 30.0 (86) | 26.6 (79.9) | 20.6 (69.1) | 42.0 (107.6) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 9.3 (48.7) | 10.9 (51.6) | 14.2 (57.6) | 19.0 (66.2) | 24.5 (76.1) | 29.2 (84.6) | 31.5 (88.7) | 31.1 (88) | 27.2 (81) | 21.2 (70.2) | 15.4 (59.7) | 11.0 (51.8) | 20.4 (68.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 5.3 (41.5) | 6.6 (43.9) | 9.4 (48.9) | 13.3 (55.9) | 18.3 (64.9) | 22.8 (73) | 25.1 (77.2) | 24.7 (76.5) | 21.1 (70) | 16.0 (60.8) | 11.1 (52) | 7.0 (44.6) | 15.1 (59.2) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 1.3 (34.3) | 2.2 (36) | 4.5 (40.1) | 7.5 (45.5) | 12.1 (53.8) | 16.3 (61.3) | 18.6 (65.5) | 18.3 (64.9) | 14.9 (58.8) | 10.8 (51.4) | 6.8 (44.2) | 3.0 (37.4) | 9.7 (49.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −14.0 (6.8) | −12.8 (9) | −7.2 (19) | −1.2 (29.8) | 3.0 (37.4) | 6.8 (44.2) | 9.6 (49.3) | 8.2 (46.8) | 2.6 (36.7) | −1.4 (29.5) | −6.2 (20.8) | −9.2 (15.4) | −14.0 (6.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 36.8 (1.449) | 38.0 (1.496) | 40.6 (1.598) | 37.5 (1.476) | 44.4 (1.748) | 29.6 (1.165) | 23.9 (0.941) | 20.4 (0.803) | 27.4 (1.079) | 40.8 (1.606) | 54.4 (2.142) | 54.9 (2.161) | 448.7 (17.664) |
| Average precipitation days | 11.8 | 11.3 | 12.4 | 11.2 | 10.7 | 7.5 | 5.9 | 4.7 | 5.9 | 8.7 | 11.5 | 12.5 | 114.1 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 98.7 | 102.6 | 147.2 | 202.6 | 252.7 | 296.4 | 325.7 | 295.8 | 229.9 | 165.5 | 117.8 | 102.6 | 2,337.5 |
Source: World Meteorological Organization (UN),[124] NOAA[125] for data of sunshine hoursTransport[edit]Bus transport[edit]
Main article: Thessaloniki Urban Transport Organization
Public transport in Thessaloniki is served by buses. The bus company operating in the city is the Thessaloniki Urban Transport Organization (OASTH) and is the only public means of transport in Thessaloniki at the moment. It operates a fleet of 604 vehicles on 75 routes throughout the Thessaloniki Metropolitan Area.[234] International and regional bus links are provided by KTEL at its Macedonia InterCity Bus Terminal, located to the west of the city centre.[235]
Thessaloniki Metro[edit]
Main article: Thessaloniki Metro
The construction of the Thessaloniki Metropolitan Railway began in 2006 and is scheduled for completion in 2018, where it is set to become the city's most vital public transport service.[236] The line of Phase 1 is set to extend over 9.6 kilometres (6.0 mi), include 13 stations[237] and it is expected to eventually serve 250,000 passengers daily.[238] Some stations of the Thessaloniki Metro will house a number of archaeological finds.[239]
Discussions are already underway for future expansions, in order for the metro network to also serve major transport hubs of the city, notably the Macedonia InterCity Bus Terminal (KTEL) and Macedonia International Airport. For the expansion towards the airport, the Attiko Metro company is considering the construction of an overground network or a monorail. The expansion to Kalamaria, a southeast borough of Thessaloniki, has already become part of the initial construction phase, while future expansions are considered and planned for Efkarpia to the north and Evosmos to the west. The strategic plan for the construction of the Thessaloniki Metro envisions that the city will have a system of 3 lines by 2018 or 2020 at the latest.[240]
Commuter/suburban rail (Proastiakos)[edit]
Main article: Proastiakos
Commuter rail services have recently been established between Thessaloniki and the city of Larissa (the service is known in Greek as the "Proastiakos", meaning "Suburban Railway"). The service is operated using Siemens Desiro EMU trains on a modernised electrifieddouble track and stops at 11 refurbished stations, covering the journey in 1 hour and 33 minutes.[241] Furthermore, an additional line has also been established, although with the use of regional trains, between Thessaloniki and the city of Edessa.
Macedonia International Airport[edit]
Main article: Macedonia International Airport
Air traffic to and from the city is served by Macedonia International Airport for international and domestic flights. The short length of the airport's two runways means that it does not currently support intercontinental flights, although a major extension, lengthening one of its runways into the Thermaic Gulf is under construction,[242] despite considerable opposition from local environmentalist groups. Following the completion of the runway works, the airport will be able to serve intercontinental flights and cater for larger aircraft in the future. A master-plan, with designs for a new terminal building and apron has also been released, and is seeking for funding.[243]
Railways and ferry connections[edit]
See also: New Railway Station and Port of Thessaloniki
Because of the Greek economic crisis, all international train links from the city were suspended in February 2011.[244] Until then, the city was a major railway hub for the Balkans, with direct connections to Sofia, Skopje, Belgrade, Moscow, Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest andIstanbul, alongside Athens and other destinations in Greece. Daily through trains to Sofia and Belgrade were restarted in May 2014. Thessaloniki remains one of Greece's most important railway hubs and has the biggest marshalling yard in the country.
Regional train services within Greece (operated by TrainOSE, the Hellenic Railways Organization's train operating company), link the city with other parts of the country, from its central railway passenger station, called the "New Railway Station" located at the western end of Thessaloniki's city center.
The Port of Thessaloniki connects the city with seasonal ferries to the Sporades and other north Aegean islands, with its passenger terminal, being one of the largest in the Aegean Sea basin; having handled around 162,731 passengers in 2007.[245] Meanwhile, ongoing actions have been going on for more connections and the port is recently being upgraded, as Thessaloniki is also slowly turning into a major tourist port for cruising in the eastern Mediterranean.
Motorways[edit]
Further information: Highways in Greece
Thessaloniki lies on the crossroads of the A1/E75, A2/E90 and A25 motorways; which connect the city with other parts of the country, as well as the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey.
The city itself is bypassed by the C-shaped Thessaloniki Inner Ring Road (Esoteriki Peripheriaki Odos, Greek: Εσωτερική Περιφεριακή Οδός), which all of the above motorways connect onto it. The western end of the route begins at the junction with the A1/A2 motorways inLachanagora District. Clockwise it heads northeast around the city, passing through the northwestern suburbs, the forest of Seich Sou and through to the southeast suburb/borough of Kalamaria. The ring road ends at a large junction with the A25 motorway, which then continues south to Chalkidiki, passing through Thessaloniki's outer southeast suburbs.
The speed limit on this motorway is 90 kilometres per hour (56 mph), it currently has three traffic lanes for each direction and forms the city's most vital road link; handling more than 120,000 vehicles daily,[246] instead of 30,000 as it was meant to handle when designed in 1975.[247] An outer ring road known as Eksoteriki Peripheriaki Odos (Greek: Εξωτερική Περιφεριακή Οδός, outer ring road) carries all traffic that completely bypasses the city. It is Part of Motorway 2[248]
Future[edit]
Despite the large effort that was made in 2004 to improve the motorway features of the Thessaloniki ring road, the motorway is still insufficient to tackle Thessaloniki's increasing traffic and metropolitan population. To tackle this problem, the government has introduced large scale redevelopment plans throughout 2011[249] with tenders expected to be announced within early 2012;[249] that include the total restructuring of the A16 in the western side of the city, with new junctions and new emergency lanes throughout the whole length of the motorway.[249] In the eastern side an even larger scale project has been announced, for the construction of a new elevated motorway section above the existing, which would allow faster travel for drivers heading through to the airport and Chalkidiki that do not wish to exit into the city, and will decongest the existing motorway for city commuters.[250] The plans also include adding one more lane in each direction on the existing A16 ring road and on the A25 passing through Thessaloniki's southeast suburbs, from its junction with the A16 in Kalamaria, up to the airport exit (ΕΟ67); which will make it an 8 lane highway.[249]
Additional long term plans further include the extension of the planned outer ring road known as Eksoteriki Peripheriaki Odos (Greek: Εξωτερική Περιφεριακή Οδός, outer ring road) to circle around the entire Thessaloniki Metropolitan Area, crossing over the Thermaic Gulf from the east, to join with the A1/E75 motorway. Preliminary plans have been announced which include a 4.5 km (3 mi) bridge over the gulf, as part of the southern bypass of the city; to cater for the large number of commuters from Macedonia and the rest of Greece heading to the airport, and to the increasingly popular tourist region of Chalkidiki.[251]
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