Vlatadon Monastery

The Holy Patriarchal and Stavropegian Monastery of Vlatadon, built in the 14th century on the site of a pre-existing church, is the only Byzantine monastery in operation in Thessaloniki. It was founded by the brothers Dorotheos and Markos Vlattis, the first of whom later served as Archbishop of Thessaloniki (1371-1379). The church flourished during the Turkish occupation.

The monastery is located in Upper Town, not far from the Byzantine walls. The sanctuary and some architectural parts are preserved from the original Temple, as the katholikon has considerably changed over time. The style of the complex inscribed Temple with a case refers to the construction of the "School of Thessaloniki".

In the Sacristy of the Monastery, there are portable icons, sculptures, manuscripts, and other sacred, historical and artistic religious relics from the 12th century. Also, the Monastery of Vlatadon maintains an extensive collection of rare Byzantine icons of great religious and artistic value. From the Monastery there is an excellent view of the whole city, while it is one of the 15 UNESCO World Heritage Sites located in Thessaloniki.