Description of the attraction
One of the most interesting monuments of the early Christian period in Thessaloniki is undoubtedly the Church of St. David. The temple is located in the historical center of the city and is under the jurisdiction of the Thessalonian Metropolis.
The Church of St. David, originally consecrated in honor of Christ the Savior, was built around the end of the 5th - beginning of the 6th century on the ruins of a structure of the Roman era and was the catholicon of the Latomu Monastery (unfortunately, the Church of St. David is the only building of the monastery complex that has survived to this day). The original church was a square structure with an apse in the eastern part and an entrance on the western side, the roof of the temple was crowned with a dome (later replaced by a tiled roof). Presumably in the 16th century, the western part of the church was destroyed and the entrance was moved to the south.
During the period of Turkish rule, like most Christian churches in Thessaloniki, the church was transformed into a mosque, and ancient mosaics and murals were hidden behind a layer of plaster. The temple was returned to the Greek Orthodox Church only after the liberation of the city. In 1921, the church was re-consecrated, and it was then that it got its current name. In 1988, the Church of St. David, along with other early Christian and Byzantine monuments of the city of Thessaloniki, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
As one of the oldest examples of a cross-domed church, today the Church of St. David is of great architectural interest. It is also worth noting the high artistic value of the magnificent mosaics (5-6th century) and unique murals (12th century), which have been very well preserved to this day under a thick layer of plaster. The mosaic decorating the apse undoubtedly deserves special attention, known as the "Vision of Ezekiel" (or "The Glory of the Lord") with the image of the young Christ, as well as the frescoes "Bathing of Christ" (written on the basis of the apocryphal story from the "Proto-Gospel of James") and "The Nativity of Christ. ".
