Eleftherias Square

Eleftherias Square
City Square
Greek: Πλατεία Ελευθερίας
Design:	Ernest Hébrard
Construction:	1920
Opening date:	1920
Owner:	Municipality of Thessaloniki
Location:	Thessaloniki, Greece

Eleftherias Square (Greek: Πλατεία Ελευθερίας, Plateia Eleftherias, "Freedom Square") is a central square in downtown Thessaloniki, Greece. The square has a historical value for the city of Thessaloniki and the Thessalonian Jews.

History

Before 1870

Before becoming a square, the site was occupied by the city's sea wall, along with a Byzantine-era tower to guard the entrance of the port. In the Ottoman period this tower was called Top Hane. After 1870, when the demolition of the wall began, the sea would reach the middle of the known square.^[1]

After 1870

The demolition of the wall to make easier the entry to the port created more space and helped the mobility of the ships. The opening of the Sambri Pasha road (nowadays Venizelou Street) created a small square. It was initially called Plateia Apovathras (Dock Square) and later Plateia Olympou (Olympus Square). It instantly became the most cosmopolitan spot of the city. There was a restaurant called Olympos and a hotel called Olympos Palace along with numerous other hotels and bars on both sides of Venizelou Street. From the Great Fire of 1917, only the Stein Mansion was saved.^[1]

After the 1917 fire - Ernest Hébrard’s plans

After the fire, the square was reconstructed by the French architect Ernest Hébrard. His initial plans were to construct a central post, call and telegraph office in the middle of the square and banks and other buildings in the perimeter. He did not succeed due to the instability of the ground. In 1924, Hotel Ritz was built in the corner of Venizelou and Mitropoleos Street but was eventually destroyed in the fire of 1968. Two more buildings were added in 1929. Left of the Hotel Ritz, the building of Ioniki Bank and in the corner of Mitropoleos and Dragoumi Street the building of Bank of Greece, which still stands.^[1]

During World War II

In the summer of 1942, on a "black Saturday", as it came to be known, all Jewish men aged from 18 to 45 were commanded to present themselves at the square to be called forth for forced labor. On the same day, 6000 or 7000 of them were gathered in the square, surrounded by German soldiers with automatic guns. The Nazi clean-up at concentration camps costed the life of 50,000 Thessalonian Jews.^[1]

There is a Holocaust memorial in the southern corner of the square.

References

1 2 3 4 Tzimou, Kya. "Πλατεία Ελευθερίας: Το παρελθόν, το παρόν και το μέλλον της". www.parallaximag.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 6 May 2015.

Landmarks of Thessaloniki

Roman period	Arch of Galerius Navarinou Square Roman Forum

Paleochristian and Byzantine	Agias Sofias Square Byzantine Bath Church of the Acheiropoietos Church of the Holy Apostles Church of Hosios David Church of Panagia Chalkeon Church of Saint Catherine Church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos Church of Saint Panteleimon Church of Prophet Elijah Hagios Demetrios Hagia Sophia Rotunda Walls of Thessaloniki

Ottoman period	Alaca Imaret Mosque Upper Town Bey Hamam Fountain Square Karipeion Melathron Konak New Mosque White Tower of Thessaloniki

Modern period	Alexandreio Melathron Aristotelous Square Gregory Palamas Metropolis Ladadika Modiano Market National Theatre of Northern Greece OTE Tower Port of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki Concert Hall

Streets	Egnatia Street Nikis Avenue Tsimiski Street Vasilissis Olgas Street

Villas	Villa Allatini Villa Bianca Villa A.Kapanci Villa Modiano Villa Mordoch Gategno-Florentin mansion Palataki

Museums	Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki Atatürk Museum Balkan Wars Museum Museum of Byzantine Culture Cinema Museum Museum of Ancient Greek, Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Instruments Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki Museum for the Macedonian Struggle NOESIS Museum of Photography Railway Museum State Museum of Contemporary Art War Museum

Major squares in Greece

Athens	Avdi Square Klafthmonos Square Kolonaki Square Kotzia Square Monastirakiou Square Omonoia Square Syntagma Square

Piraeus	Korai Square Terpsitheas Square

Thessaloniki	Aristotelous Square Agias Sofias Square Antigonidon Square Eleftherias Square Navarinou Square

Patras	Georgiou I Square Olgas (Ethnikis Antistaseos) Square Psilalonia Square Trion Symmachon Square

Heraklion	Eleftheriou Venizelou (Lions) Square

Corfu (city)	Spianada Square Spilias Square

Chania	Eleftherias Square Eleftheriou Venizelou Square Splantza Square

Rhodes (city)	Eleftherias Square Hippokratous Square Evraion Martyron Square

Ermoupoli	Miaouli Square

Nafplion	Syntagma Square Filellinon Square

List of squares in Greece

Coordinates: 40°38′02″N 22°56′17″E / 40.634°N 22.938°E / 40.634; 22.938

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