Contemporary Thessaloniki is a lively
modern city bursting with life and movement.
It has the largest university in the country, numerous
theatres including the world-wide famous Theatre of
Northern Greece, modern art galleries, libraries and
an immense variety of high standard recreational facilities.
In recent years, the Municipality of Thessaloniki
has introduced a number of successful festivals of
international repute, such as the city's Jazz Festival,
the open-air Theatrical Festivals, the International
Month of Dance and the "Summer Nostalgia",
the open-air screening of classic movies, all held
in the Municipal Garden Theatre in the centre of the
city. In early September, the city becomes a bridge
of friendship when it hosts the Meeting of Balkan
Musicians, a new event that brings together the musical
wealth of the peninsula. Art exhibitions and various
educational activities are held in the impressively
restored historical buildings of "Yeni Cami",
"Villa Bianca", "Alaca Imaret"
and the Municipal Library, among others. The Municipality
operates several institutions of importance to the
cultural life of the city, including the History Centre
of Thessaloniki and the Centre of Music.
Since 1998, the Thessaloniki Festival has staged
a memorable show for the city and its thousands of
visitors, making sure that the electric cultural atmosphere
of the city is felt year-round. The festival’s main
objective is to offer a series of cultural activities
that bring out the dynamism of the city and make optimal
use of its rich cultural infrastructure. The festival
also operates a mechanism that provides communication
support for and co-ordination between the various
organisations that hold cultural events in Thessaloniki,
in order to achieve a balanced and effective schedule
of cultural events across the city. By creating an
international cultural institution that fosters co-operation
among the Balkan countries, the Thessaloniki Festival
aspires to establish the city as the cultural capital
of the greater region.
Launched some forty years ago as the most prestigious
Greek film festival, the Thessaloniki Film Festival
turned International in 1992. Today, the event has
evolved into a leading film festival of European standards,
attracting new and innovative filmmakers from all
over the planet. Famous international film stars such
as Cahterine Deneuve, Marcelo Mastroianni and others
have honoured the event by attending film screenings,
lending a glamorous touch to the festival. Held in
November, the festival’s main activities are centred
on the historical Olympion Theatre, located on Aristotelous
Square. Since 1999, the main event has been accompanied
by the Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival, followed
a year later by the "Videodance" Festival.
For more cultural
info, please contact TCVB
