Veroia Things to Do

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Barbouta was the Jewish neighborhood of Veria and took its name from the fountain with the same name located in it. The presence of Jews in Veria is testified in the Roman Era. Apostle Paul found there a flourishing community (around 50-57 AD). The Jewish Synagogue, rebuilt and renovated through the centuries, is still preserved and incorporates ancient architectural elements. Barbouta neighborhood was a closed ghetto of defense structure and triangular shape, with two strong gates at the ends of the main commercial street crossing it. About 50 houses of local Macedonian architecture are preserved, some of them with Jewish inscriptions, and the most important of them are now public or municipal property, housing services like the International Institute of Traditional Architecture (Bekas mansion, 1859), the Cultural Atrium “Olganos” (Olganou building, 1872), the Municipal Tourist Enterprise and the Association of Vlachs (Bozoglou mansion, beg. of 20th century), the General State Archives of Imathia Prefecture (Anastasiou building, 1882) etc.

One side of the defensive “triangle” of Barbouta is the step riverside of Tripotamos. The sound of the rushing waters of Tripotamos, combined with the all-green rich vegetation and the natural humidity, offer a relaxing spot with a few café-restaurants and an enjoyable walk along the pedestrian zone of the “Hebrew Martyrs”.

The most well-known place or the "Landmark" of Veria is Elia Park with its centuries-old trees. It is located at the edge of a cliff, offering a relaxing view of the Plain of Thessaloniki. A cafe-restaurant, municipal property, offers drinks, snacks or meals to the people, either indoor or under the trees. Don't miss it!

This dam, 8 km far from Veria on the way to Veryina, is regulating the river flow and providing irrigation to the plain. It is known also as "dam of Varvara", since it is very near to the village Ayia Varvara (=Santa Barbara).

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This is the place where St Paul, the Apostle of the Ethnics, preached during his 2 visits in Veroia, around 50-51 AD and 57 AD. The site is a shrine of World Christianity. Every year, on June, a religious and cultural festival is organized, named "Pavlia", closing with a pan-Orthodox open-air vespers in front of the "step" of Aposrle Paul, on the evening of June 29.

Here is the account of Acts of the Apostles: [Acts 17:10-15]

Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there also and stirred up the crowds. Then immediately the brethren sent Paul away, to go to the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained there. So those who conducted Paul brought him to Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed, they departed.

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This building, in the preserved neighborhood Kyriotissa, was constructed in 1908-1911 and was a water powered cylindrical flour mill. It was working until 1960 and then abandoned. In 1981 it was on fire and only the external walls were saved. Recently renovated, it is now the Byzantine Museum of Veroia.

The permanent exhibition includes portable holy icons, detouched wall paintings from old churches and other buildings, mosaics, manuscripts and old books, pottery and jewelry, coins, woodcurves, burial findings, architectural elements and marble inscriptions.

The main idea is to show the relations between Veroia and the other centers of Byzantine culture, like Thessaloniki, Constantinople, and the other cities of central and western Macedonia.

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The Arch. Museum of Veroia houses and exhibits findings from Imathia Prefecture, dated on Hellenistic and Roman era. Unfortunatelly the Museum building is small and can not include other findings, dated even since pre-historic and iron ages, which are kept in store rooms. The garden of the Museum is full of marble findings, like grave stelae, altars and inscriptions. The most important exposed item is a marble inscription with the "Gymnasiarchal Law" of Veroia, that is the regulatory functioning text of the Gymnasium of the ancient city.

Since Veroia is a city that is 2700 years old you can imagine that the history of the area is very interesting.
The ancient town of Veroia was surrounded by mighty walls, with large towers and gates that connected the town with the rest of the Macedonian kingdom.
You can still find some parts of the wall all around the modern city of Veroia.
After the Roman conquest Veroia turned to be the second most important city of Macedonia after Thessaloniki.
It was a big economical power, closely related with the Roman culture.
You can still find traces of that era at the archaelogical museum, which has a vast collection of ancient monuments.

This church is the best known church of Veroia. Most churches of Veroia were built during the time of Turkish occupation. The Turks did not allow Christians to build high buildings, so they are lower than normal byzantine churches.