The Christian temple of Hagia Sofia is one of the largest and most impressive Byzantine churches in Thessaloniki, and has a rich history stretching back to more than a millennium. The church is built in the style of a domed basilica, with a 10-metres dome straddling the main building along with pillars and arches decoratively carved with elegant, twining patterns.

Inside the temple, its walls are filled with graceful Byzantine frescoes depicting Christ and the Virgin Mary. The most beautiful being the one painted under the dome, depicting the Ascension – Christ’s return to heaven after the gruelling 40 days on Earth, following his resurrection. He is depicted seated majestically on a throne, surrounded by a host of angels and lush greenery, capturing the jubilation of the event.

The temple’s past is equally exciting! After the Fourth Crusade in the 13th century, the temple was used as a cathedral for the Crusaders. It was then turned into a mosque barely a century later, following the Ottoman invasion in 1430, and has remained as a mosque until the city’s liberation in 1912. Having survived fires, multiple wars and natural disasters, it was finally restored to its former glory in 1980.