THESSALONIKI IN THE 20th CENTURY

A city which has existed for 23 centuries, Thessaloniki is the locus of significant events and developments in all sectors of Greece's social, political and culutral life. The administrative, financial and cultural centre of a large geographical area, a major port and a link between East and West, with influence in the Balkans and Central Europe, Thessaloniki is used to being an arena of conflicts. In the mid-19th century, the city walls and remaining fortifications were demolished. A series of important works gave the city a modern aspect, and thus, Thessaloniki became the most vital administartive, diplomatic, commercial and export centre of the Balkans. In the late 19th century, Thessaloniki was transformed into a multicultural and multiethnic Balkan city, connecting Western civilization to Eastern philosophy and the glory of Byzantium. Through photographs and archival footage, the film presents the history of the city and Hellenism in general during the 20th century.