Boat Tours for Mount Athos Leave from Busy Ouranopoli, Greece
Boats tours past Mount Athos usually leave twice a day from busy Ouranopoli and are loaded with tourists. They leave around the same time and return to port around the same time which creates a major influx in restaurants lining the shore; all displaying menus in every language imaginable.
Guide Goran led us past a gauntlet with staff standing outside waving menus and imploring tourists to eat in their restaurant. Walking, walking and then into one restaurant operated by a friend of his. Sat down, ordered and tucked in.
The entire area of Ouranopoli was charming, loaded with beaches and hotels that we didn't have enough time to explore since it was another 2-1/2 ride to Kavala, the next destination.
ISLAND of SANTORINI: EXPLORING the beautiful CHURCHES ⛪ of this paradise (GREECE)
SUBSCRIBE: - Let's drive together around this beautiful Greek island and let's admire the architecture of its colorful churches. Vic Stefanu, vstefanu@yahoo.com. Santorini (Greek: Σαντορίνη) or Thera (English pronunciation and officially Thira (Greek: Θήρα), is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast of Greece's mainland.
Santorini is one of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea. It was devastated by a volcanic eruption in the 16th century BC, forever shaping its rugged landscape. The whitewashed, cubiform houses of its 2 principal towns, Fira and Oia, cling to cliffs above an underwater caldera (crater). They overlook the sea, small islands to the west and beaches made up of black, red and white lava pebbles.
Greece is a country in southeastern Europe with thousands of islands throughout the Aegean and Ionian seas. Influential in ancient times, it's often called the cradle of Western civilization. Athens, its capital, retains landmarks including the 5th-century B.C. Acropolis citadel with the Parthenon temple. Greece is also known for its beaches, from the black sands of Santorini to the party resorts of Mykonos.
#VicStefanu
Exploring - Arnea, Chalkidiki
Pilot TV show Exporing-Arnea, Chalkidiki by IMG Films.
English subtitles w/ time code are given below.
00:08 Mansions -- Hostels
00:28 With a view of Greece
00:30 Exploring: Architecture, Style, Decoration, Tradition, Accommodation, Sights
00:38 Arnea, Chalkidiki
00:46 Script-Presentation: Alexia Chatzopoulou
00:48 Producer-Director: Serafim Efstratiadis
00:51 IMG Productions
01:13 Scaled on the foothills of densely thicketed mountain massifs of Holomontas lies the town of Arnea.
01:19 One of the most picturesque villages in the Chalkidiki peninsula.
01:22 A place that still maintains many elements of its traditional character.
01:33 The traditional village, the genuine products and the authentic natural environment, are valuable benchmarks for Arnea.
01:43 And dominant attraction pole for its visitors.
02:05 Traditional Hostel -- Oikia Alexandrou
02:11 What are the major historical elements of Arnea?
02:14 Argyro Kehagia -- Director Municipal Development Enterprise of Arnea
02:14 The city of Arnea is already known since ancient times, appearing for the first time from Thucydides, as the city of Arne, and there are records for the town Avgaia.
02:39 The first groups of houses were developed around three central squares that exist to this day.
02:48 They are today's central square, known as the bazaar, Chorostasi, which is located outside the current town hall of Arnea, and Kari Pazar.
03:33 (singing) In the narrow alleys to the upper neighborhood.
03:52 The visitor of Arnea has various possibilities to contact with the folkloric culture.
03:57 He can enjoy walks in the local traditional town-web with the old homes, the little narrow streets and alleys, visit the unique beautiful chapels, and learn about the history and culture of the area at the local folklore museum.
04:18 Mansion Iatrou - Katsaggelos House
04:23 What are the characteristics of Macedonian architecture found in this mansion?
04:27 Yannis Lamprou - Substitute Mayor of Arnea
04:27 The history and folklore museum housed in the Iatrou mansion, which, as far as Macedonian architecture is concerned, has features like half being built by stone, and the rest is tsatmas, a very large loggia and the fact that its shape is like Pi.
04:51 I believe that here, by strolling around its corners, we can see the atmosphere and the old history of the city, as it is all condensed in one place.
05:41 A typical sample of a traditional Arnea residence is hostel Alexandrou, built in the center of the historic village, at the location Chorostasi.
05:57 A typical Macedonian mansion, with its stone-built ground floor section, wood-pitched masonry, with two angular projections on the floor, with lots of windows, the famous sachnisia, and a quadruple-heaved roof with tiles.
06:16 For several years its use was inn, namely guesthouse, serving mostly traders in the region and visitors of Mount Athos.
06:32 After its exemplary restoration by their owners, the functional adaptation of the building to the demands of a modern hostel was secured, for all seasons of the year, without compromising the authentic, traditional, architectural elements.
07:00 Dimitris Alexandrou -- Owner of Hostel Oikia Alexandrou
07:00 The building was constructed in 1812.
07:05 According to oral testimonies it was founded simultaneously with the church of St. Stephen, by my great grandfather.
07:11 In 1821 it was destroyed along with the whole village by the Turks and the house was rebuilt around 1830 to 40.
07:21 It represents a typical example of local architecture, and the most important buildings in Arnea.
07:43 At the ground floor, or the basement as the older ones would say, there were warehouses, stalls for animals, as well as shops of tannery products.
07:54 Now, there is a comfortable waiting area and a living room with a fireplace.
08:00 A series of thick walnut logs separates the reception area from the main dining room, where one can enjoy traditional breakfast, fabulous homemade food and sweets.
08:13 The ground floor ceiling is divided into three sections.
08:16 The central one is characterized by heavy wooden beams that support the roof, while the two extreme, to the front and the depth of wide wooden planks.
08:27 And the central rosette, which supports the large chandelier.
08:56 Upstairs the parlor has a primary role.
09:00 All rooms are equipped with antique furniture, lighting, antiques and original paintings.
09:10 What is particularly impressive is the fact that every area of the house has received particular attention.
09:18 All refer to the precious dowry of an old mansion.
09:23 Well, for those seeking tranquility and a warm atmosphere in an environment that scents tradition, hostel Alexandrou is a great suggestion, and Arnea an interesting destination.
Villa Chara Ammouliani
Explore both the inside and the outside of Villa Chara in this video.
Unforgettable vacations at Villa Chara in Ammouliani Island in Chalkidiki.
Visit us at villachara.com/en to check the availability and see what our previous guests had to say about their stay!
Parthenonas – Sithonia, Halkidiki
Parthenonas – Sithonia, Halkidiki
Parthenonas is a quaint historical village located at an elevation of 350 m on the side of the mountain about 6 km outside Neos Marmaras, Sithonia, Halkidiki. Well worth doing as a day hike. Or if you have transportation, you can just go for dinner at a tavern in Parthenonas and get an amazing view of the sea and sunset.
History of Parthenonas
There seems to be some debate as to the actual history. Parthenonas was made reference to in the writings of Heroditus, when he talks of a settlement called Parthenopolis, that was in the area of modern Parthenonas. Some years back a sanctuary – possibly of Zeus – was explored and pottery was discovered from the Archaic period (10 century BC), showing evidence of a settlement in this location.
The modern village goes back to the days of Ottoman rule and went through periods of habitation and abandonment. By the 1973, when the shipping magnate Yannis Carras started to construct the tourist resort Porto Carras, many moved down to the coast, to Neos Marmaras, for work. Gradually the village was abandoned and transformed into a ghost town.
Parthenonas today
About 20 years later, some foreigners moved into Parthenonas – renovating the old stone houses, making taverns and restaurants, small guesthouses, hotels, and even a museum. This historical village can easily keep you entertained for a day or more, as you hike up the mount Itamos for a view of Mount Athos to the east and Mount Olympus to the west. Enjoy the surrounding hiking trails through the olive groves. Take a mountain bike and ride the trails which cross the mountains of Sithonia.
Or just sit and have a lazy afternoon coffee or an ouzo at an outdoor restaurant, overlooking the Gulf of Toroneos with a view of the island Kelyfos. Parthenonas will definitely give you a refreshing change from the beach and is something very special in Sithonia.
Being an all year destination – you can easily find hotels or apartments here or in the area of Neos Marmaras, Sithonia, Halkidiki.
Dioni Villa to Rent in Chania Crete Greece | Unique Villas | uniquevillas.gr
More villa Info
Dioni Villa
8 Guests | 4 Bedrooms | 3 Bathrooms | Private Pool | 3.5 km from Beach
Dioni villa is a brand-new modern structure with total area of 200 sqm on a plot of 1.5 acres filled mainly with olives, herbs and fruit trees. It stands out because of its ideal location, its modern design and unique interior decoration. Around the villa and the plot there are olive trees giving the character of isolation.
It consists of 3 great and spacious bedrooms, one attic, kitchen, living room and 3 bathrooms. It has heating and cooling system, alarm, space, comfort and silent operation. Entering the villa, there is an open plan living room with satelite TV and the comfortable sofas. The kitchen has all the equippment and appliances that can be necessary. At the same area, there is the dining area for up to 8 people. On the ground floor, there is also a WC. Coming out on the terrace you will find the large swimming pool and the garden of the house that is ideal for relaxing under the Cretan sun.
Upstairs, there are the 3 bedrooms, the attic and 2 more bathrooms. The first bedroom has a king size double bed and an ensuite bathroom with shower. In that bedroom there is also an attic with a queen size double bed. The rest bedrooms share 1 large bathroom with bathtub and washing machine. All areas of the house have panoramic sea views. Outside is a private pool of about 40 sqm and a comfortable patio with large table. There is a pillow menu and a wardrobe with a variety of pillows with different hardness, in order to choose the ideal pillow for you. Finally, there is a playground for children and a table tennis. We can also offer you baby cot and high chair for free. Dioni villa is a choice for unforgettable holidays in Crete island, ideal for relaxation in a peaceful environment with magnificent panoramic sea view and a perfect spot to explore the West Crete
Panagia Ekatontapiliani Church( Paros,Greece) with Daniel Dimitrov
The Oldest,Biggest and Most Beauty Church at Paros Island.Greece
Greek Isles Churches
Bells, cleaning, service
Secrets of Hagia Sophia Museum HD
Hagia Sophia (from the Greek: Ἁγία Σοφία, Holy Wisdom; Latin: Sancta Sophia or Sancta Sapientia; Turkish: Ayasofya) is a former Greek Orthodox patriarchal basilica (church), later an imperial mosque, and now a museum (Ayasofya Müzesi) in Istanbul, Turkey. From the date of its construction in 537 until 1453, it served as an Eastern Orthodox cathedral and seat of the Patriarchate of Constantinople,[1] except between 1204 and 1261, when it was converted to a Roman Catholic cathedral under the Latin Empire. The building was a mosque from 29 May 1453 until 1931. It was then secularized and opened as a museum on 1 February 1935.[2]
The church was dedicated to the Wisdom of God, the Logos, the second person of the Holy Trinity,[3] its patronal feast taking place on 25 December, the commemoration of the birth of the incarnation of the Logos in Christ.[3] Although sometimes referred to as Sancta Sophia (as though it were named after Saint Sophia), sophia being the phonetic spelling in Latin of the Greek word for wisdom, its full name in Greek is Ναός τῆς Ἁγίας τοῦ Θεοῦ Σοφίας, Shrine of the Holy Wisdom of God.[4][5] Famous in particular for its massive dome, it is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture[6] and is said to have changed the history of architecture.[7] It remained the world's largest cathedral for nearly a thousand years, until Seville Cathedral was completed in 1520. The current building was originally constructed as a church between 532 and 537 on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I and was the third Church of the Holy Wisdom to occupy the site, the previous two having both been destroyed by rioters. It was designed by the Greek scientists Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles.[8]
The church contained a large collection of holy relics and featured, among other things, a 15-metre (49 ft) silver iconostasis. The focal point of the Eastern Orthodox Church for nearly one thousand years, the building witnessed the excommunication of Patriarch Michael I Cerularius on the part of Pope Leo IX in 1054, an act which is commonly considered the start of the Great Schism.
In 1453, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks under Sultan Mehmed II, who ordered this main church of the Orthodox Christianity converted into a mosque. By that point, the church had fallen into a state of disrepair. Nevertheless, the Christian cathedral made a strong impression on the new Ottoman rulers and they decided to convert it into a mosque.[9][10] The bells, altar, iconostasis, and sacrificial vessels and other relics were removed and the mosaics depicting Jesus, his Mother Mary, Christian saints and angels were also removed or plastered over. Islamic features – such as the mihrab, minbar, and four minarets – were added. It remained a mosque until 1931, when it was closed to the public for four years. It was re-opened in 1935 as a museum by the Republic of Turkey. Haghia Sophia is currently (2014) the second-most visited museum in Turkey, attracting almost 3.3 million visitors annually.[11]
From its initial conversion until the construction of the nearby larger Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque of Istanbul) in 1616, it was the principal mosque of Istanbul. The Hagia Sophia served as inspiration for many other Ottoman mosques, such as the Blue Mosque, the Şehzade Mosque, the Süleymaniye Mosque, the Rüstem Pasha Mosque and the Kılıç Ali Paşa Mosque.
2016 1118 St James Church, candle area Medjugorje
St James church candle area 18-11-2016
Thessaloniki | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Thessaloniki
00:02:51 1 Names and etymology
00:04:27 2 History
00:04:36 2.1 From classical antiquity to the Roman Empire
00:07:53 2.2 Byzantine era and Middle Ages
00:13:24 2.3 Ottoman period
00:18:02 2.4 20th century and since
00:27:30 3 Geography
00:27:39 3.1 Geology
00:28:42 3.2 Climate
00:31:25 4 Government
00:32:23 4.1 Thessaloniki Municipality
00:33:45 4.2 Other
00:35:00 5 Cityscape
00:35:09 5.1 Architecture
00:37:36 5.2 City centre
00:40:05 5.3 Ano Poli
00:41:14 5.4 Southeastern Thessaloniki
00:43:25 5.5 Northwestern Thessaloniki
00:44:46 5.6 Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments (UNESCO)
00:46:39 5.7 Thessaloniki 2012 Program
00:48:45 6 Economy
00:50:34 6.1 Services
00:52:08 6.2 Companies
00:53:41 6.3 Macroeconomic indicators
00:54:58 7 Demographics
00:55:07 7.1 Historical ethnic statistics
00:55:25 7.2 Population growth
00:55:58 7.3 Jews of Thessaloniki
01:01:22 7.4 Others
01:02:27 8 Culture
01:02:36 8.1 Leisure and entertainment
01:05:03 8.2 Parks and recreation
01:07:08 8.3 Museums and galleries
01:10:15 8.4 Archaeological sites
01:13:07 8.5 Festivals
01:16:08 8.6 Sports
01:18:33 8.7 Media
01:19:38 8.7.1 TV broadcasting
01:19:59 8.7.2 Press
01:20:32 8.8 Notable Thessalonians
01:22:49 8.9 Cuisine
01:23:57 8.10 Music
01:25:09 8.11 In popular culture
01:26:19 9 Education
01:28:22 10 Transport
01:28:31 10.1 Bus transport
01:29:11 10.2 Metro
01:31:09 10.3 Commuter/suburban rail (Proastiakos)
01:31:52 10.4 Thessaloniki Airport Makedonia
01:32:40 10.5 Railways and ferry connections
01:34:09 10.6 Motorways
01:35:40 10.6.1 Future plans
01:38:17 11 International relations
01:38:28 11.1 Twin towns – sister cities
01:38:40 12 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Thessaloniki (Greek: Θεσσαλονίκη, Thessaloníki [θesaloˈnici] (listen), also familiarly known as Thessalonica, Salonica, or Salonika is the second-largest city in Greece, with over 1 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of Greek Macedonia, the administrative region of Central Macedonia and the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace. Its nickname is η Συμπρωτεύουσα (Symprotévousa), literally the co-capital, a reference to its historical status as the Συμβασιλεύουσα (Symvasilévousa) or co-reigning city of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, alongside Constantinople.Thessaloniki is located on the Thermaic Gulf, at the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea. It is bounded on the west by the delta of the Axios/Vardar. The municipality of Thessaloniki, the historical center, had a population of 325,182 in 2011, while the Thessaloniki Urban Area had a population of 788,952 and the Thessaloniki Metropolitan Area had 1,012,297 inhabitants in 2011. It is Greece's second major economic, industrial, commercial and political centre; it is a major transportation hub for Greece and southeastern Europe, notably through the Port of Thessaloniki. The city is renowned for its festivals, events and vibrant cultural life in general, and is considered to be Greece's cultural capital. Events such as the Thessaloniki International Fair and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival are held annually, while the city also hosts the largest bi-annual meeting of the Greek diaspora. Thessaloniki was the 2014 European Youth Capital.The city of Thessaloniki was founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon. An important metropolis by the Roman period, Thessaloniki was the second largest and wealthiest city of the Byzantine Empire. It was conquered by the Ottomans in 1430, and passed from the Ottoman Empire to Greece on 8 November 1912. It is home to numerous notable Byzantine monuments, including the Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as several Roman, Ottoman and Sephardic Jewish structures. The city's main university, Aristotle University, is the largest in Greece and the Balkans.Thessaloniki is a popular tourist destination in ...
Thessaloniki | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
00:03:59 1 Names and etymology
00:06:00 2 History
00:06:09 2.1 From classical antiquity to the Roman Empire
00:10:27 2.2 Byzantine era and Middle Ages
00:17:43 2.3 Ottoman period
00:23:48 2.4 20th century and since
00:36:06 3 Geography
00:36:15 3.1 Geology
00:37:36 3.2 Climate
00:41:08 4 Government
00:42:22 4.1 Thessaloniki Municipality
00:44:05 4.2 Other
00:45:41 5 Cityscape
00:45:50 5.1 Architecture
00:49:02 5.2 City centre
00:52:19 5.3 Ano Poli
00:53:48 5.4 Northwestern Thessaloniki
00:55:59 5.5 Southeastern Thessaloniki
00:57:50 5.6 Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments (UNESCO)
01:00:19 5.7 Urban sculpture
01:01:13 5.8 Thessaloniki 2012 Program
01:03:56 6 Economy
01:06:15 6.1 Services
01:08:16 6.2 Companies
01:10:30 6.3 Macroeconomic indicators
01:12:08 7 Demographics
01:12:17 7.1 Historical ethnic statistics
01:12:39 7.2 Population growth
01:13:19 7.3 Jews of Thessaloniki
01:20:24 7.4 Others
01:21:48 8 Culture
01:21:57 8.1 Leisure and entertainment
01:25:09 8.2 Parks and recreation
01:27:51 8.3 Museums and galleries
01:31:57 8.4 Archaeological sites
01:35:43 8.5 Festivals
01:39:38 8.6 Sports
01:42:48 8.7 Media
01:44:12 8.7.1 TV broadcasting
01:44:37 8.7.2 Press
01:45:19 8.8 Notable Thessalonians
01:48:30 8.9 Cuisine
01:49:58 8.10 Music
01:51:30 8.11 In popular culture
01:53:16 9 Education
01:55:57 10 Transport
01:56:06 10.1 Bus transport
01:56:56 10.2 Metro
01:59:29 10.3 Commuter/suburban rail (Proastiakos)
02:00:22 10.4 Thessaloniki Airport Makedonia
02:01:23 10.5 Railways and ferry connections
02:03:19 10.6 Motorways
02:05:17 10.6.1 Future plans
02:08:38 11 International relations
02:08:51 11.1 Twin towns – sister cities
02:09:05 12 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
Listen on Google Assistant through Extra Audio:
Other Wikipedia audio articles at:
Upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
Speaking Rate: 0.759081957954997
Voice name: en-US-Wavenet-D
I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Thessaloniki (UK: , US: ; Greek: Θεσσαλονίκη, romanized: Thessaloníki [θesaloˈnici] (listen)), also familiarly known as Thessalonica (, also US: ), Salonica or Salonika (, also US: ), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over 1 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of Greek Macedonia, the administrative region of Central Macedonia and the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace. Its nickname is η Συμπρωτεύουσα (i Symprōtévousa), literally the co-capital, a reference to its historical status as the Συμβασιλεύουσα (Symvasilévousa) or co-reigning city of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, alongside Constantinople.Thessaloniki is located on the Thermaic Gulf, at the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea. It is bounded on the west by the delta of the Axios/Vardar. The municipality of Thessaloniki, the historical center, had a population of 325,182 in 2011, while the Thessaloniki Urban Area had a population of 824,676 and the Thessaloniki Metropolitan Area had 1,030,338 inhabitants in 2011. It is Greece's second major economic, industrial, commercial and political centre; it is a major transportation hub for Greece and southeastern Europe, notably through the Port of Thessaloniki. The city is renowned for its festivals, events and vibrant cultural life in general, and is considered to be Greece's cultural capital. Events such as the Thessaloniki International Fair and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival are held annually, while the city also hosts the largest bi-annual meeting of the Greek diaspora. Thessaloniki was the 2014 European Youth Capital.The city of Thessaloniki was founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon. An important metropolis by the Roman period, Thessaloniki was the second largest and wealthiest city of the Byzantine Empire. It was conquered by the Ottomans in 1430, and remained an important seaport and multi-ethnic metropolis during the nearly five centuries of Turkish rule. It passed from the Ottoman Empire to Gre ...
Thessaloniki | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Thessaloniki
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Thessaloniki (Greek: Θεσσαλονίκη, Thessaloníki [θesaloˈnici] (listen), also familiarly known as Thessalonica, Salonica, or Salonika is the second-largest city in Greece, with over 1 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of Greek Macedonia, the administrative region of Central Macedonia and the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace. Its nickname is η Συμπρωτεύουσα (Symprotévousa), literally the co-capital, a reference to its historical status as the Συμβασιλεύουσα (Symvasilévousa) or co-reigning city of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, alongside Constantinople.Thessaloniki is located on the Thermaic Gulf, at the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea. It is bounded on the west by the delta of the Axios/Vardar. The municipality of Thessaloniki, the historical center, had a population of 325,182 in 2011, while the Thessaloniki Urban Area had a population of 788,952 and the Thessaloniki Metropolitan Area had 1,012,297 inhabitants in 2011. It is Greece's second major economic, industrial, commercial and political centre; it is a major transportation hub for Greece and southeastern Europe, notably through the Port of Thessaloniki. The city is renowned for its festivals, events and vibrant cultural life in general, and is considered to be Greece's cultural capital. Events such as the Thessaloniki International Fair and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival are held annually, while the city also hosts the largest bi-annual meeting of the Greek diaspora. Thessaloniki was the 2014 European Youth Capital.The city of Thessaloniki was founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon. An important metropolis by the Roman period, Thessaloniki was the second largest and wealthiest city of the Byzantine Empire. It was conquered by the Ottomans in 1430, and passed from the Ottoman Empire to Greece on 8 November 1912. It is home to numerous notable Byzantine monuments, including the Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as several Roman, Ottoman and Sephardic Jewish structures. The city's main university, Aristotle University, is the largest in Greece and the Balkans.Thessaloniki is a popular tourist destination in Greece. In 2013, National Geographic Magazine included Thessaloniki in its top tourist destinations worldwide, while in 2014 Financial Times FDI magazine (Foreign Direct Investments) declared Thessaloniki as the best mid-sized European city of the future for human capital and lifestyle. Among street photographers, the center of Thessaloniki is also considered the most popular destination for street photography in Greece.