Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki
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There was a time when Greece was part of the Byzantine Empire, which was also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire. This period of time lasted from 330 AD to 1453 AD, which was a period of over 1000 years. As a result of this, there are many places Byzantine Empire enthusiasts can visit through Greece in order to learn a bit about this aspect of the country’s history. The Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki is one of these places. Here’s some information that you will find helpful if you decide to visit this museum:
Visiting the Museum of Byzantine Culture
Visitors to the museum often remarked on how well designed the building at the Museum of Byzantine Culture is. It’s not only beautiful, but the exhibits are laid out in a useful and logical way. Everything is also well labeled, which means that it is easy to soak up the history while looking at the artifacts. For those who love to go more in depth, it is also possible to take a tour from one of the guides. If you are on a larger tour of Thessaloniki, you may also find that the guides will take you into the museum and explain a bit about some of the displays as well as the history of the museum.
History of the Museum of Byzantine Culture
Officials in Thessaloniki knew that they wanted to build this museum. To make it happen, they decided to take a fairly unique approach. In 1977, a competition was launched that called for designs of this now iconic site. Kyriakos Krokos ultimately won the competition, but it would take over a decade for the museum to officially start being built. In 1989, construction began and the museum wasn’t finished until 1993 and it officially opened to the public in 1994. Now, visitors from all over the world, including Greece, enjoy it!
Exhibits at the Museum of Byzantine Culture
While here, it’s clear that Greece was truly influenced by the Byzantine Empire. This museum does a great job of talking about the Byzantine history in Greece. It does so through it’s many exhibits. Here’s an overview of the exhibits:
- Early Christian Churches. Christianity came to Greece during the Byzantine time period. This exhibit talks about Greece’s many, ancient churches and the role they played to the culture as a whole.
- Early Christian Cities and Dwellings. In this exhibit, guests can learn all about the life and culture of the people in Byzantine Greece. This includes the economy, domestic life, handicrafts that were done by the people, the food they ate, the clothes they wore, as well as interesting information about the culture.
- From the Elysian Fields to the Christian Paradise. One of the most fascinating parts of Byzantine culture were its cemetries. This exhibit goes into detail about the cemeteries, sepulcheries, and other aspects of this segment of the culture.
While visiting Thessaloniki, you won’t want to miss the chance to visit the Museum of Byzantine Culture, especially if you love learning about the Byzantine Empire. Most people will find that you need at least a few hours here. Once you’re done in the museum, you’ll definitely want to spend some time walking around the streets of Thessaloniki enjoying the rest of your vacation!
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Categorized in: About Thessaloniki, Greece, Greek Travel Guide
This post was written by Greek Boston
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