Larissa, the capital of Thessaly, is an unassuming college town away from the tourist trail. Underneath an acropolis that contains layers of Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman treasures is a city with a history that extends back more than 8,000 years.
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Let’s take a tour of Larissa’s most popular sights and pastimes:
Classical plays “A”
Early in the third century BC, while the Kingdom of Macedonia controlled Thessaly, work began on a theatre that would later be known as the Heavyweight Monument of Larissa. During that time, Thessaly was actually a region of Macedonia. It was used for political rallies, religious ceremonies, and theatrical and musical events in Thessalonica.
It was built during the Roman era when the theatre was converted into an arena that could hold up to 12,000 spectators thanks to its 10 stairways, 11 levels, and 25 rows of marble seats. That time period also produced the majority of the buildings still in use today.
Museum of Chronology
Larissa’s historical artifacts were relocated to a brand-new, state-of-the-art museum on the southern hill of Mezourlo in 2015. Pine trees serve as a natural border for the museum.
Why visit that museum?
Though the museum had been open for some time, the first architectural competition wasn’t held until 1984. There are artifacts dating back to the Paleolithic era and as recently as 1881, the year Larissa was liberated from Ottoman rule. The majority of the items on display were unearthed in the 20th century in the cities of Larissa, Karditsa, and Trikala; they are arranged here according to age and location.
Here is the Saint Achilles Basilica
On the acropolis of Larissa, you may visit the ruins of a huge basilica built in the sixth century AD. When the basilica was built, it was built on top of the grave of Saint Achilles.
There are still some intriguing things to see, despite the fact that just the bottom floor and the foundations remain:
- A wonderful Byzantine mosaic in the narthex, and two vaulted tombs that still have their painted crosses on display.
- Over the course of a century, Alcazar Park on the Pineios River has welcomed a wide range of tourists in search of tranquility. One of the many great things about this spot is the river’s ability to cool you off throughout the summer.
From the late 19th century up to 1937, this area served as a venue for equestrian competitions. However, in 1937, it was transformed into a zoo that remained open until 1990. The beautiful destination along with landscaping now includes a pond, tree-lined walkways, grassy areas, a café, an outdoor theatre, a playground, and a miniature golf course in this formerly industrial site.
A tribute to Hippocrates’
For the last decade of his life, towards the middle of the fourth century BC, the man often regarded as the beginning of modern medicine called Larissa home. His grave was rediscovered by chance in 1826, following a flood, and was identified by a Greek inscription that had been there for centuries.
A new monument was recently created in the park of the same name near Alcazar Park in Larissa’s northern suburb, on the road leading to the neighborhood of Giannouli.
Bezesteni
The Bezesteni is among the most enigmatic of Greece’s Ottoman-era buildings. In the late 15th century, it was built to the north of the Basilica of Saint Achilles on the Acropolis.
A covered textile market, measuring 20 by 30 meters and housing 21 tile-roofed businesses, formerly stood there. Even though only one of the original four entrances to the south has been maintained, the intricate brickwork within the vault may be appreciated with little effort. In addition, the marble used in the building is speculated to have been from the Athena Polias temple.
The Ancient Theater “B” of Larissa is a Roman amphitheater that stands to the west of the Ancient Theater “A.”
The memorial was lost until 1978, long after the hill of the theatre had been leveled in the 1950s. The roughly 30-meter-wide orchestra and the fourteen sets of stairs leading to the bleachers made this performance unprecedented for its day.
Byzantine bathhouses
Archaeologists have discovered the remains of two early Christian bathhouses in the city center of Larissa.
Lamprouli Square is home to two ancient baths from the 6th century AD, which were presumably built in conjunction with the Basilica of Saint Achilles to the square’s northeast. Located in Blana Square, there is a building that predates the one described above and is much larger. It’s from the 400s, and it’s made up of three rooms.
Conclusion
Hippocrates, the “Father of Medicine,” spent the last decade of his life in ancient Larissa. In the nineteenth century, his tomb was uncovered, and a small monument was found there. So why wait? Plan your Greece trip with AirlinesMap and enjoy an unforgettable experience in this European wonderland..!