Hagia Sophia Church of Holy Wisdom

The Hagia Sophia in Thessaloniki is one of the city's oldest and most significant Byzantine monuments. Constructed in the 8th century, it was modeled after the Great Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, reflecting the architectural ambitions of the Byzantine Empire during the Iconoclastic period. The structure is a domed cross-in-square church, notable for its transition from the basilica style to the centralized domed designs that would dominate later Byzantine architecture.

Throughout its history, the building has undergone various transformations, serving as a cathedral, a mosque during the Ottoman period, and eventually returning to its function as an Orthodox church. It houses significant artistic treasures, including a 9th-century mosaic of the Ascension in the main dome and intricate wall paintings, which provide vital evidence of the artistic evolution within the Byzantine world.