Turkish Monuments, Thessaloniki

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The Alatza Imaret is not in and of itself a historical monument - at least thats not how the Thessaloniki tourist authorities want to see it. When I stumbled on it (I was going from Agios Dimitrios to the Ano Poli) it was one of the locations of the biennale of contemporary art. I'm not sure if its open to the public on other occasions. The walls and decorations are in ill repair, but you can still make out some of the patterning and calligraphy. This is not a mosque - an imaret, however, would have been connect to one mosque or another, I assume, as it was a communal dining hall, one were acts of charity (zakaat) would have been carried out.

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Great Türk Atatürk borned in Thessaloniki. It is very important to see his home for us. I guess adress was like this:
SELANIK BASKONSOLOSLUGU
ODOS AGHIOU DIMITRIOU 151
54634 THESSALONIKI
TEL: (30-31) 248452

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This is just 1 of a number of Muslim monuments in Thessaloniki. It’s probably among the 1st built during the Turkish occupation (1430-1912).

This Turkish bath was built by Sultan Murad II in 1444.

You can enter for free and explore its rooms, some still with visible decorations. Don't forget to look up, as well!

This hammam, unlike the one by the Roman Agora, was specifically for the Jewish community of the city. It is crammed into the area beside Modian Market and is open to the public. When I went in June 2007, the site was being used as part of the biennale of contemporary art.

The Bey Hammam was not open to the public when I came by to visit because of extensive renovations that were being done, but it should (at some point) be open to the public. The Hammam was originally much smaller than its current form but was enlarged as the city's population and importance grew. It was built in 1444 and only decomissioned in 1968. It has a large, open area for men and smaller, enclosed and decidedly less decorated section for women. Although you cannot enter, the decoration on the outside of the building is quite spectacular.

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To the southeast of the Lawcourts Square in the center of Salonica, opposite the Panagia Chalkeon, is a large Turkish bath-house, the Tsifte Hamam (Double Baths) or Hamam Bey, built in 1444 by Sultan Murad II, which later became known as the Paradise Baths (Loutra Paradisou). The baths are still in use.

In the Salonica city center, on the north side of Egnatia Street, between Venizelou and Dragoumi Streets, stands another monument of the Turkish period, the Hamsa Bey Mosque (now known as the Alkazar), which is thought to have been built about 1468. Now it is restored by the Archeological Service of Greece.

To the east of Aghios Dimítrios church, on the north side of Kassandrou street between Aghiou Nikolaou Str. and Sofokleous str, is the Alaja Imaret Mosque with its seven domes. Of its multi-colored minaret there remains only the base. Now it is used as a place for cultural activities.

ÁëáôæÜ ÉìáñÝô ôæáìß, Ãåíß ×áìÜì, ÐáóÜ ×áìÜì, Ôïð ×áíÝ, ×áìæÜ Ìðåç ôæáìß, ÌðåæåóôÝíé, Ãéá÷ïýíôé ×áìÜì, Ìðåç ×áìÜì, Ãåíß ôæáìß.
Alatza Imaret mosque, Yeni Hamam, Pasa Hamam, Top Hane, Hamza Bey mosque, Bezesteni, Yahudi Hamam, Bey Hamam, Yeni mosque.

The Bezesteni is a covered market for valuables from the Ottoman era. It is still used as a market, so the main value to visiting the site is to see the architecture rather than for any explanation.