Church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos

Coordinates: 40°38′15.5″N 22°57′22″E / 40.637639°N 22.95611°E / 40.637639; 22.95611
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Church of St. Nicholas Orphanos
UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos
LocationThessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece
Part ofPaleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki
CriteriaCultural: (i), (ii), (iv)
Reference456-010
Inscription1988 (12th Session)
Area0.227 ha (0.56 acres)
Coordinates40°38′15.5″N 22°57′22″E / 40.637639°N 22.95611°E / 40.637639; 22.95611
Church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos is located in Greece
Church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos
Location of Church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos in Greece

The Church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos (

World Heritage List along with other Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki, demonstrating the importance of Thessaloniki in early Christian history.[1]

Location

The church is located in the northeastern corner of the old city, just inside the eastern wall, between the Irodotou and Apostolou Pavlou streets.[2]

History and description

The church's name, "Saint Nicholas the Orphan", is first attested in the 17th and 18th centuries, and presumably refers to its otherwise unknown ktetor (founder). From its interior decoration, the building is dated to the period 1310–1320. The church originally formed part of a monastery, traces of which (remnants of a gate) survive to the east.[2][3]

Interior view of the church with the well preserved frescoes

The church was originally built as a simple, single-aisled edifice with a wooden

late antique capitals. The church's original marble templon survives.[2][3]

The church is most notable for its

Stephen Uroš II Milutin (r. 1282–1321), who is known to have sponsored churches in the city, on account of the depiction in the main aisle of St George Gorgos, the Serbian ruler's patron saint, and of St. Clemens of Ohrid, a favourite motif of the Serbian churches.[2][4]

The monastery continued functioning throughout the Ottoman period. The frescoes were uncovered in 1957–1960 during restoration works.[2]

Gallery

  • View
    View
  • Interior
    Interior
  • Frescoes
    Frescoes
  • Fresco of Samaritan
    Fresco of Samaritan
  • Interior
    Interior
  • Adormition of Theotokos
    Adormition of Theotokos

References

  1. ^ "Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki". UNESCO World Heritage Convention. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e Ναός Αγίου Νικολάου Ορφανού, Hellenic Ministry of Culture (in Greek), retrieved 2010-04-21
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6
  4. ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6

External links

Media related to Church of Saint Nicolas the Orphan, Thessaloniki at Wikimedia Commons

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